Sarah McFadden
Interdisciplinary Macraweave Artist & Storyteller
About
Drawing trees as a child, I found comfort in art and nature. In 2011, I earned a BFA in printmaking from The Ohio State University and began retail art instruction. Shifting to public education in 2014, my creative efforts pivoted toward crafting. In 2023, a soothing rhythm in macramé inspired a call back to art-making and macraweaving. Synthesizing my technical training with a love of nature and intricate fiber arts, I am honing my restorative practice of healing and self-discovery.
Born 1985 in Baton Rouge, LA, United States
Artist statement
Building upon a BFA in printmaking from The Ohio State University, my contemporary studio practice translates the technical discipline of printmaking into medium- and large-scale fiber art, specializing in macramé weaving (macraweave) techniques. My current body of fine art focuses on knotting and weaving natural fibers, suspended from found wood, to build textured panels and tapestries that mirror elements found in nature—with a deep focus on tree bark, branches, and root systems. Conceptually, my artwork centers on finding connection and identity as an adoptee who was adopted as an infant and relocated 1,500 miles from my birthplace and heritage. My studio practice is driven by a multi-layered process: navigating my own adoption story while researching the geographic displacement and profound resilience my ancestors experienced in a new land. I channel these parallel journeys into my own unique technique of weaving and knotting, blending contemporary macraweave with traditional ancestral fiber traditions. Fueled by their historic connection to cultivation and the environment, this process provides a grounding space where I can engage with lost biological mirrors and literally weave back the parts of myself that were severed by adoption.
Details
- Based in
- Columbus, OH, United States
- Works in
- Fiber Arts, Printmaking, Sculpture, Storytelling, Installation
- Education
- BFA, The Ohio State University
