This question was posed a few months ago among friends: what were you doing when you were eleven years old?

I replied, “I would gather up all the blankets and sheets in the house and make these crazy elaborate forts in the living room…and then invite everyone to come hang out with me in the forts (I lived on a farm mind you, so “everyone” was only a handful of people…and some barn cats).”

The friend who posed the question then said, “I read once that our elven-year-old selves are an indication of our adult selves (what we were doing when we were eleven is really what we want to be doing in life : ).” I think I nailed it! Here’s my latest creation, want to come hang out in it with me tonight from 5-8 pm at Artworks Loveland?

An eye full of silk candy as seen from 3rd street last night…

The way I designed this installation piece allows for several different views and levels of interaction. From outside, one can see an ocean of silk waves, or a field of mountain peaks. From the side window, there’s a gentle rising of the silk, like a swiftly moving cloud. And from inside, one is overwhelmed by the calm, gentle floating presence of the silk overhead.

The installation starts near the ground and rises almost to the ceiling on the opposite end of the room…

And, just for fun, here’s a photo of the finished silk installation art piece next to the photo from the first night of the installation process. We had stretched the silk out on the floor to get an idea of how the finished piece would look spatially.

And last but not least, a detail of the hand dyed silk glowing in the light!

Join us at Artworks Loveland tonight from 5-8 pm to see the silk installation art piece in person…and to hang out with me in the fort…

A detail shot of the hand dyed silk installation art piece suspended from the ceiling in The Fishbowl at Artworks Loveland, by Abbie R Powers.