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All cultures have unique patterns for weaving. It can be very intricate or open ended. The materials are varied from grasses to palm fronds to tree bark to other fibers. In Hawaii, where I grew up, we learn to weave palm fronds into place mats and hats in art class. In east Africa, I sat along side women who taught me basket weaving while we waited for the bus.

My current work incorporates many different weaving patterns. I use discarded photos, which I cute in strips and lace into lengths to weave. With a vague idea, I start the cross section, the first pattern informs the next until the design eventually works itself out and the piece is completed.

I am appropriating patterns from different cultures to form a mosaic of one.

Tomas Nakada

thnakada@hotmail.com