Statement:
Disintegrated leaves, faded fabric remnants, and brittle stalks symbolize the passing of time in our surroundings. My work relies on motifs and images directly derived from nature, either from botanical prints, natural dyes, or relief processes. I embrace natural materials and a commitment to leaving behind minimal waste and toxicity, paying homage to the natural world in both form and content.
The intimate book form allows close examination of fragments and details. It enables an evolving narrative, while simultaneously becoming an artistic object on its own. Impressions are combined with additional markings, colors, and lines, making each piece a documentation of a specific plant or place at a moment in time. Stitching often appears throughout, adding texture and unifying passages—creating a sense of care and patience that asks one to slow down and take notice. By exploring traditional textile forms and techniques, I also want to approach topics such as heritage, purpose, and repair, in a time marred by over-consumption and environmental decline.
bio:
Lotta Helleberg is a Swedish-born artist based in Charlottesville, Virginia. For more than a decade, Helleberg has experimented with print making and surface design, focusing on botanical contact printing, relief processes, and local plant-based dyes, to render works that both document and celebrate her immediate surroundings. Her unconventional wall and book works have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States as well as abroad, including the Festival of Quilts in the United Kingdom and Kyoto Shibori Museum in Japan. Helleberg’s work has been included in several national and international publications such as Natural Processes in Textile Art by Alice Fox, Art Quilting Studio, American Craft, and Patchwork Professional.
