Three by Three: Guest Artists in Focus

QUESTION 2.    Working with interlocking rings demands both patience and precision—how do you stay connected to the flow of the work rather than the repetition?

• ANSWER 2.   I am also a martial artist, so I learned how to meditate while doing kata—a choreographed form that strings multiple movements together. The physical expression of each step in the kata is only one small piece, but it needs to come together in the end to create one whole expression of movement. I see each ring in chainmail the same way, especially when working with many colors. Each ring adds its own expression, but also does its part to form the complete piece.

Tabitha Olson
Chainmail Artist

BIO: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been chasing art in various forms. I like to work with my hands, but I also like to capture light. Chainmail is the perfect combination of the two: metal is shiny, even when it’s covered in color, and each ring needs to be woven into place one at a time. With a pair of pliers in each hand, I open and close every single ring that goes into my work.

LINK: WeavingLinksMaille

QUESTION 3.    What do you hope people notice about chainmail as art rather than simply craft, armor, or fashion?

• ANSWER 3.     I want people to appreciate both the simplicity and complexity in chainmail. The act of making chainmail is simple: open one ring, weave it into place, and close it. But the ways you can weave it are infinitely versatile. Sheets of metal can be woven so fluidly that it feels like fabric, or it can be woven into an immoveable structure. It can also be a simple necklace or bracelet that makes you smile. The possibilities are truly endless.

QUESTION 1.    When you design a new chainmail piece, what usually comes first—the pattern, the purpose, the metal, or the movement you want it to have?

• ANSWER 1.   The purpose, definitely. When I design a new chainmail piece, I first decide what I want it to do, then I get an image in my head of how I want it to look. And then I sit down and experiment until the piece in my hands matches the image in my head. I love the challenge of making metal rings function the way I want them to, even when they often don’t cooperate.

All copyright and reproduction rights are reserved by Tabitha Olson.
Artwork may not be reproduced in any form without the artist's express written permission.

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