“We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates.” Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows. 

              When developing my work in this project I came to the realization I had not yet explored the shadows formed by my weavings. When developing ideas about my woven mushroom lamps, the light that passes through my weavings were crucial to my design. These weavings are unique as when I wove my pleats I used a selection of different fibers and finishing techniques that create an interesting pattern of shadows I never considered before. 

              Another element in my weavings required a warp that was more spread apart to make sure the high twist fibers shrink and twist. This then creates a softness and transparency since the ramie warp I used is stiff and paper like. So while the ramie moves, it still holds its form. When this effect is combined with my Kasuri techniques I painted on the warp, it creates a watercolour transparency. This was designed to replicate the same delicateness that would appear when light filters through mushroom gills. 

               Below are experiments on a very sunny day when the sun was particularly strong. I played with how the light filters through these mushrooms much like how slivers of light pass through trees to the mushroom floor. When developing my proposed final before Covid-19, the shadows created from my weavings would have been crucial in my design for the lamps.