Patti Barker

Climate Sisters, 2021

hand dyed silks, merino wool, beads, tulle, fabric stiffer Each Ensemble is 26" x 84" x 10"

This three-part series--Wildfire, Tsunami & Earthquake--is a fiber-based mediation on the volatile relationship between humanity and the natural world. Each ensemble stands as a sculptural embodiment of a force of nature, capturing both it's raw beauty and the devastation it can leave behind. Wildfire ignites with charred textures and scorched hues, evoking the consuming rage of flame and the aftermath of forests lost. Tsunami flows in sweeping forms and turbulent layers, recalling the deceptive calm before the ocean surges and swallows all. Earthquake fractures and shifts--it's construction echoing the rupture of once-stable ground. Together, these works form a visual warning and elegy--an artistic reckoning with climate change and it's increasingly destructive manifestations. Through the language of fiber, the series explores how the earth speaks back, not with words, but with unstoppable force. The ensembles challenge viewers to consider their place in this fragile balance--and the urgency of action.

Patti Barker

Moth Secret, 2018

Hand-dyed silks, raw sheep curly locks 52" x 84" x 8"

Moth Secret delves into the emotional landscape of the overlooked--the quietly resilient spirit of the middle child. Often mistaken for her more celebrated cousin, the butterfly, the moth becomes a powerful symbol for those who grow in the shadows, developing strength beneath the weight of comparison. This Nuno Felt ensemble consists of a richly textured caftan, evoking the ruff and primary wings of the moth. The textural gown mirrors the moth's body and delicate bottom wings, grounding the piece in softness and vulnerability. Crowning the ensemble is a headpiece of felted spikes asserting quiet confidence. Through Moth Secret, the artist reclaims the beauty of being misunderstood. This work speaks for those who are rarely featured, but carry strength, depth, and secret radiance in every fiber of their being.

Patti Barker

Dragon Skin Ensemble, 2017

various silks, dye, fine merino wool, bead embroidery 26" x 84" x 12"

Dragon Skin Ensemble is a textile-based embodiment of feminine strength, resilience and transformation. Felted with hand-dyed silks and fine merino wool, this piece draws on the mythic symbolism of the dragon--not as a creature to fear, but as a metaphor for the immense challenges women have faced throughout history. The ensemble represents not only the courage to confront these societal "dragons," but also the power to overcome. Each stitch, texture and material choice speaks to the layered experience of womanhood--it's trials, triumphs and evolution through time. More than garments, Dragon Skin Ensemble is armor--inviting viewers to reflect on what it means to fight, to endure, and to emerge stronger, wrapped in the skin of the very beast once thought undefeatable.