The fine wire sculpture test was such a success that it made sense to take it further. Instead of shaping a single strip of bobbin lace, I wanted to bring together multiple pieces with different materials. For Converging Filaments, I made three separate strips of bobbin lace: a very narrow strip of Flanders lace in fishing line, a narrow strip of point ground lace in fishing line, and a wider strip of point ground lace in fine coated copper wire.

The fishing line strips have plaited edges made with fine copper wire and heavier wire providing the support needed for shaping. The copper lace was constructed in much the same way. I learned from my previous sculpture test that this combination allowed the lace to curve while still supporting its shape.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted the wider copper strip to act as the central form. It needed some movement, but not as much as the other pieces. The two narrower strips would do the visual heavy lifting by winding around the wide piece. Beyond that, there was a lot of discovery as I worked with all three pieces, curving and repositioning them until the forms worked together.

Although the finished sculpture appears intertwined, none of the three pieces actually touch. Each is independently anchored into the walnut base. My husband made the base specifically for the sculpture, and its construction became part of the shaping process. I roughly curved the lace first, we determined the placement of the holes and installed the strips, and then I fine-tuned the curves to create the final composition.

One surprise was the fishing line itself. I have used fishing line in several previous works, where its transparency often causes it to nearly disappear. In Converging Filaments, it is much more visible. It still has an ethereal quality, but rather than disappearing, the translucent lace becomes another part of the structure.

Like much of my work, Converging Filaments began as an experiment with materials. I wanted to see what would happen when separate pieces of lace, made with different materials and lace structures, were brought together in a sculptural design. Even the title plays with that idea: different filaments and structures converging into a single artwork.

Converging Filaments is made with copper wire, fishing line, and a walnut wooden base, measuring 6.5 × 5.75 × 5.75 inches.

To see more of my lace experiments, works in progress, and finished pieces, visit me on Instagram and TikTok. Follow along to see what I’m working on next.