NH Textile Artist Laura Morrison

Fibers and new thoughts on a next life

March 19, 2014

Susan Laughlin,

The work of Laura Morrison is, in a word, sensual. The textile artist from Concord says “Indeed, my work is inspired by nature and its job is to reproduce.” Her most recent work, called the Regenerative Series, is an unworldly fabrication of yarns and beads that gives one pause for thought. “My imagery is not of this planet, but possibly a world that regenerates after an apocalypse. I have faith that nature will prevail even if we are not here to see it.” Even here and now, she notes, nature is strange when viewed at a microscopic level. “It’s hard to top that strangeness, but I try,” she says.

All of Morrison’s work is done by hand — from crocheted forms to appliquéd layers to embroidery embellishment and rows of tiny beads. Added weight in some shapes creates a feel of knobby cartilage and loops of metallic threads glisten like moist cilia surrounding an orifice. Natural fibers never looked so unnaturally beautiful.

Morrison recently started displaying her work under clear glass bell jars. Clients were concerned about the objects attracting dust or curious cats. The enclosures now give the works a feel of permanence and the look of a species from another planet preserved at a natural history museum. The tactile quality of Morrison’s work is part of the charm, but here, there are only fingerprints on the glass.

Morrison’s other work includes “Garden in My Mind,” a series of two-dimensional stitcheries and a Wonderment Series, where she pondered a problem and resolved it in a visually interesting manner.

Both can be viewed online. Permanent installations include a fiber wall hanging at the courthouse in Merrimack and paintings at NHTI in Concord.