Reina Mia Brill

Artist’s Statement

Through wire I illustrate a world of childhood memories and experiences. Panels of knitted wire are layered, like pen and ink drawings, to create surface tension and drama. Each creature has its own story to tell.  Their various names suggest ideas or visions steeped in mythology.  They are each born out of a process that may seem as fabled as the creatures themselves. I begin with drawings that are translated into a wood skeleton, constructed to convey a posturing as well as offer gravitational support.  A process of wrapping and layering with foil over the frame provides shape and density to the figures. They are then completely covered with a stuffed nylon skin. Using old-fashioned knitting machines, I create a flexible mesh wire fabric that is meticulously stitched onto the skin--layer by layer--over faces, horns, and even the crevices of toes until the essence of each creature breathes life.