Artwork by Elfa Jónsdóttir

I originally studied textile in Iceland and later obtained a Master's degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. For several years I was a visiting artist in the Art School at the University of Michigan, working extensively in textile, including surface design and weaving. Later, following a move to the East Coast in 2000, I ventured into ceramics, producing diverse 3D forms. This did, in particular, include a large multi-piece installation called "Dwellings." After moving back to the Midwest in 2010, I concentrated mostly on weaving and surface designs. Now in Baltimore and Walnut Creek I have ventured into multi-media paintings. I still do work with textile, and when in California I also work in ceramics. Going to Cone 6, electric firing, has been a challenge but I am making progress

I enjoy working in a variety of medium, exploring the unique possibilities each medium offers, and finding new ways to express my ideas. I have had one-artist exhibitions and group exhibitions in several galleries in the Midwest and on the East Coast.

Fibers

All my textiles starts out with a plain white fiber, and then I use different techniques and processes, including hand dying and layering, to create a spectrum of saturated hand dyed and manipulated textiles. The results give the viewer a chance to consider the fiber work through both a tactile and visual exploration. Many of my textile work are inspired by architectural images or by the aesthetics of writings. Although when working with fiber I often find that the texture and color of the fiber influences and often dominates my creative process, I almost always deviate from my original design and let the piece take its own path, where I do and not always know what comes next. Some of my works are years in the making and up on my viewing board for months, before I finally put them together. And more than likely it then needs one more layering, or one piece becomes two, or three become two, and so on. This is what I love about the processes, being able to add or subtract, over dye or remove color, or even start all over again, put it away for some time and then go back to it later and discover that it becomes something totally different. I find that this process gives me the freedom to be creative and open in the making of my pieces. Weaving is a bit more rigid process, once the warp has been died or painted, and threaded on the loom, it is there and manipulations are more restricted, although the threading and treadling of the warp in combination offer endless possibilities.

Clay

In ceramics I have worked on several different themes, exploring one form for an extended period of time before switching to a new one. My themes range from abstract sculptures to more conventional bowls, boxes and tableware.

Multimedia/Collage/New Work

My dream has always been to be a painter. I felt that my textile work, where I painted, printed, and dyed fabric, before manipulating it into art, was my forum of painting. But now I wanted to challenge myself to "paint." I found that my old habits are hard to break. After some experiments with a paint brush on canvas, I discovered that painting, printing and manipulating paper is much more fun than traditional painting. Transitioning my work into collage and mixed medium including painting is my new forum.