It's all about the DOTS!

Developing the surface....

Many of you who have participated in my online events have noticed the progression of the artwork behind me. You all know how I love layers of pattern & texture! Here's a closer look at one of of my works in progress...

Interested in learning more about my techniques?

Check out all my upcoming workshops

HERE

 

Glimpse Into my Studio

Another glimpse into my studio!

Both the sculptures & collage works are available in my shop. I'll also be sharing my creative process & techniques in my upcoming workshops. 

Learn more here, 

De Pirro Studio Shop

De Pirro Art Workshops

 

Material Celebration!

Come join us online for "Material Celebration" hosted by National Basketry Organization, Inc.

Saturday July 31, 9:00-10:30 AM (PDT)

This presentation will focus on how artists honor and celebrate their material through the making of objects which incorporate aspects of basketry. The story of how an artist discovered their material, how they gather or prepare their material, and how their material informs their work will all be presented and discussed.

 

Host: Charissa Brock

Panelists: Joel Allen, David Paul Bacharach, Christine Clark, Barbara De Pirro

Learn more HERE

 

New Publication!

Thank you National Basketry Organization, Inc. for featuring my sculpture "Thistle" on the cover! I'm excited to see all the incredible talent featured within these pages.

"NBO Basketry +  magazine is a high quality, glossy magazine published by NBO. It the only national publication documenting the work of outstanding basket makers, both traditional and contemporary, and serves as an important archive of basket making in America."

Learn more about this amazing organization HERE 

Plus a brief preview HERE

Collage Monoprint Paintings!

Inspired by the nature that surrounds & nurtures me!
Multiple layers of pattern within transparent pools of acrylic. These small Collage Monoprint Paintings are now in my DePirroStudio Shop,
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DePirroStudio

Support local Artists!

Small Works!

Small sculptural works now in my DePirroStudio Shop, 

with more to come!

CLICK HERE

to see the latest...

Metamorphosis at Meydenbauer in process...

"Metamorphosis" in process, a glimpse from the inside out....

Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, WA 

"Metamorphosis" (detail)      Barbara De Pirro  

"Metamorphosis" (detail)      Barbara De Pirro  

"Metamorphosis" (detail)      Barbara De Pirro  

"Metamorphosis" (detail)      Barbara De Pirro

"Metamorphosis" (detail)      Barbara De Pirro

 

World of Threads Interview

If you haven't discovered it yet,

be sure to check out the World of Threads,

Weekly Fibre Artist Interviews.

Interviews published by Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman

This week I'm honored to say that I'm included in the mix.

My heartfelt thanks to World of Threads!

Here's the full interview...

in the studio: 'flora plastica'

'flora plastica'         Barbara De Pirro

Since last November, I’ve been madly crocheting through mind-boggling mountains of brilliantly, colored plastic bags. Averaging about 6-8 hours a day, hundreds ...eeek nearly two thousand hours...crocheting through the same number of bags. My challenge was to transform this invasive, synthetic material into a floral extravaganza, titled ‘flora plastica’*.

This site-specific sculpture will initially be suspended within the Tacoma Art Museum's entry atrium in celebration of ‘Flora & Fine Art’. In the lobby for a month, then mid July it will be re-installed, settling into a new space also within the Museum.

'flora plastica' (in process)       Barbara De Pirro

I arrived at the museum with 4 five gallon containers packed full of the completed sculpture and 2 large 're-useable' bags stuffed with all finishing materials and tools. The museum was closed to the general public which allowed me the space to spill out onto the lobby floor.

'flora plastica' (in process)       Barbara De Pirro

Although the initial installation would be suspended 14 feet across the museums entry atrium, after 1 month, it would re-installed into a secondary spot....details to be determined. Keeping this in mind, I designed it in strands or individual components. This would allow it to take on various forms, adapting to different situations.

'flora plastica' (in process)       Barbara De Pirro

These individual strands were threaded onto 1/8" airplane cable, able to securely withstand its full weight. If you look closely you can see that between each strand I strung a 1/4" bead to help maintain spacing even after gravity had its time to play.

'flora plastica' (in process)       Barbara De Pirro

Centering the piece within the 14 foot span, each side was finished off with vine, leaves, pods and bee hives.

Special thanks to Museum Preparators

Cyrus Smith and Jeremy Mangan

It took all three of us to hoist it onto the lift

and four art 'Genies' to install !!

'flora plastica'       Barbara De Pirro

Special thanks to Tacoma Art Museum and Tacoma Garden Club

…and of course, all my friends & family for providing me with this plastic abundance and for all your fantastic support!

*'flora plastica' was commissioned by Tacoma Art Museum and Tacoma Garden Club.

in the studio: roots & vines

.....taking inspiration from natures invasive ivy vines strangling and rooting into this grand old tree, I've recreated this in my recent sculptures and installations, both outside & in. 

'roots & vines: plastica'      Barbara De Pirro

2010 Carkeek Park, curated by CoCA Seattle

'roots & vines: plastica' (detail)       Barbara De Pirro

2010 Carkeek Park, curated by CoCA Seattle

'roots & vines: plastica'       Barbara De Pirro

Matzke Sculpture Park, Camano Island, WA

(Funding for 'roots &vines:plastica' was made possible by
 Artist Trust Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) and CoCA Seattle)

'roots & vines'      Barbara De Pirro

crocheted fiber encapsulated in acrylic, reinforced with steel and wood 

more images here

in the studio: ice, honey, amber

What begins as a humble disc of ice precariously balanced

within the branches of an apple tree,

translates into this unexpected sculptural detail

representing ice, honey or amber.

'fractured'     Barbara De Pirro

(acrylic encapsulated styrene & steel)

'unearthed'     Barbara De Pirro

(crocheted fiber encapsulated in acrylic & steel)

in the studio: 'fractured'

'fractured' detail    Barbara De Pirro

'fractured'       Barbara De Pirro

(fiber, marble dust, pigment, acrylic polymer, styrene & steel)

What will future generations find when they unearth our civilization?

in the studio: 'fragments'

'fragments'      Barbara De Pirro

Printmaking and collage are two techniques used in my current paintings. No found papers are used. I hand paint, block print, collograph & monotype textures & patterns onto the surface of both opaque and translucent papers, cutting and embedding imagery into multiple, transparent layers of acrylic. Achieving an effect very much like wax encaustic or fused glass.

Looking into my paintings is much like peering into a pool of water.

'fragments' detail      Barbara De Pirro