Artist: Maria Amalia Wood
“When I make paper, the materials invite me into a transformative journey. First, the raw fiber is immersed in water and beaten for a while until a slurry is formed. Then color can be added by mixing the slurry (pulp) with pigment and a chemical called retention aid. The colored pulp is then formed into a sheet using a mould and deckle or deckle box. The sheet is pressed and dried. The result is a new object with different characteristics, but with the same essence it started with. The process is very similar to the one I embarked on many years ago when I moved to the United States. Like leaves in the fall season, dancing in the wind and falling slowly, I embrace change and celebrate my new life. Although, it is a different chapter, the narrative is still part of the same book.”
Maria Amalia Wood was born and raised in Honduras, and currently maintains a studio in Madison, Wisconsin. Using textile processes and materials, she draws upon material culture, the natural environment, and the complexities of a life lived between Central America and the Midwestern United States. Working intuitively, Maria Amalia is committed to finding and sharing beautiful marks that refer to specific memories. Beyond the development of a personal studio practice, Maria intends to find ways of sharing her vision through socially engaged, artful collaborations in both Wisconsin and Honduras.