Ann-Marie Phalen-Hartman

Life is complex and I celebrate a maximalist view through my work. I distill harmonious order from disparate fiber and reclaimed-material sources in a way that invites eye and encourages tactile interaction.  Details are immensely important. Every layer of fabrication carries context and embedded meaning.  I hope that my mediums of both fiber (which typically conveys feelings of comfort and protection) and reclaimed-materials (which often interjects the specter of past incarnations, unfulfilled utility, and increasingly necessary ethical re-use in a time of looming scarcity) will encourage the viewer to have a response.

My process is fundamental to the outcome of my work.  It is my artistic intent, much as in chaos theory, to introduce an abundance of planned elements in conjunction with some intentionally randomized variables into my design.  As a result, the final outcome of the piece is never fully predictable.