2017 Awardee-Jekatrina Sohareva
Jekatrina Sohareva
“…and the river whispered to me”
Artist Statement
Textiles have spoken to me since childhood. I have always paid attention to textiles around me, and this created a deep interest in learning more. When I weave, whether it is a rug or tapestry, the process is like meditation for me. It is an opportunity to spend time with myself and to order my thoughts. All my emotions appear in the tapestry. While I’m weaving, I have a feeling of excitement about how the work will look when it is finished and cut off the loom… I can say only one thing – tapestry is neither a hobby nor a momentary thrill – tapestry is a lifestyle.
“…and the river whispered to me”
I find inspiration for my tapestries in the language of nature. Because we are part of nature, we try to find a common language with it. At times it seems that nature is trying to communicate with us and warn us about all kinds of danger. This work is a reflection of my memory at the moment before the danger. I stood by the river. It seemed that the river wanted to warn me and it turned out to be true.
Why did I want to weave this moment in my life? Because while I was weaving this work I took strength in myself and, looking at it now, it gives me the power of natural forces to be able to go further to pursue my own purposes and to listen to the internal voice, not only through the rivers, but also treetops or the burning evening sky. In my work I try to approximate to the feeling of reality, to achieve the effect that each viewer can be in my place and can feel present.”
Jekatrina Sohareva
“…and the river whispered to me,” detail
Biography
Jekatrina Sohareva has been selected for the American Tapestry Alliance’s 2017 International Student Award. Jekatrina is a textile art student in the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga, Latvia.
