Clyde Olliver is an artist from Cumbria, England.
He combines slate and stitch to create sculptures that combine simple elegance with technical excellence.
Much like the work of Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene, Lynette Andreason or Diem Chau, Clyde’s art pushes the boundaries of stitch by engaging it with a new medium.
Slate and stone are arguably the most robust materials you could choose to work with, and there is a constant trade-off between Clyde’s original design intention, and the limitations that the materials present. It is clear that the pieces of slate dictate the final form in ways that fabric and more “traditional” media will not.
Clyde’s work echoes the carvings found in ancient stonework, and in doing so connects the past to the future. There is an honesty in the work that comes from the hand-crafting; Clyde could use technology to carve all manner of shapes and forms, yet he chooses to uphold the traditions of stone masonry. And this balance of man vs. nature is what gives these pieces their magic.
It’s terrific work, and Clyde exhibits across the world. For more information, visit his website.
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The Cutting (& Stitching) Edge is brought to you in association with Embroidery As Art, the inspirational stitched art blog from the legendary Jenny Hart.
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I love this. Amazing work.
This is fantastic!
I must confess, these pictures don’t do his work justice, as you can’t really understand the scale of it. But it’s great stuff. He will be showing his work at the Knitting & Stitching shows in the UK this Autumn.
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