Candice Brokenshire

Applying ancestral skills in a contemporary setting, my work comprises studies in fiber entanglement, collage and print. Inspired by the idiosyncrasies of nature and the restorative power of color, I strive to infuse my pieces with a sense of delight, using natural materials: wool, silk, hemp, cotton, flowers, bark and roots.

This can take many forms including layering and sculpting with wool to create highly textured felted pieces. Or spinning yarn to create knotted sculptures, incorporating foraged metal and wood. Often using the materials that we’ve lost respect for, or squander.

My process tends to start with a loose narrative, and as I work with the materials, I'll respond to the shape of what’s transpiring. I’m always editing and distilling, looking to capture a core idea and critical energy, with a graphic, and hopefully, compelling result.

Bodies of work have included: ‘Journeys that I’ll never Take’ which asked questions about our physical and psychological boundaries. ‘Love, Hope & Entanglement’ - an apropos theme given life has become more complex. And ‘Threads That Bind Us’, looking at how we need to move on from concepts of home – whether that be a dwelling, or relationships that hold us in stasis. This work led...

Solo Show "Feisty & Flourishing. An homage to Hortense Miller" The Hortense Miller House and Garden.

"We Need to Talk' Collaborative public artwork installed in 2023, Laguna Beach, CA