Amy Brownson

I am a California artist using fabric to construct textile works. My current pieces embrace the texture and beauty of remnants and damaged goods from the knitting mills in Los Angeles. Standing back at a distance, my work might appear to be a painting, though I sometimes think of it as sculpture, because it does have dimension. The dimensions that interest me are invisible at a distance, and only truly discemable up close. What I see and enjoy are the individual threads that combine together to create complex patterns and intricate weaves. I love the idea of complexity creating the appearance of simplicity, and when I stand back and look at a piece, though I can't see the threads and stitches, I am aware that they are there. I am aware of the millions of actions that it took bring a fabric painting to life. This connects me to the idea that all things; biology, emotion, physics, and relationships are made up of infinitely intertwined elements that create a single object of beauty.
I began creating in childhood, winning a national sewing award at age 12. I apprenticed abroad and in the United States, restoring antique textiles, studying woodworking, and designing and fabricating couture and ready-to-wear fashion. I returned west, continuing to practice my skills while designing and building costumes and sets for film and video. In Los Angeles, I started "painting with fabric". I relocated back home to the Bay Area in 2018 to create art full time.
I have exhibited at the Palm Springs Modernism Show, the San Francisco Tribal & Textile Arts Show, and Gallery DeRoche. My work is in East Bay Artists 2020 published by ArtPush. I received installation commissions for the Saks Fifth Avenue catalog, and from the City of Los Angeles, premiering at The Orpheum and Eastern Columbia Building. My work is currently being exhibited at Galley DeRoche.