Kimberley Harding
Marsh Wren, 2023
round, flat and flat oval reed, bass wood, acrylic paint, waxed threads, wire, glue 16.25” h x 10.25” w x 5” d
A guided canoe tour of Scarborough Marsh inspired me to create this larger-than-life marsh wren. We saw many birds during our journey along the winding Nonesuch River, but the marsh wren was only identifiable by its buzzy trill and some nests we saw in the grasses. Wrens have long been a favorite of mine, and research confirmed that the marsh wren is a delightful member of the family and worthy of a portrait.
Kimberley Harding
Generosi-tea: Self-Portrait as Teapot, 2023
things given to me: linen napkins, pearl buttons, lace trim, canvas, wire; other things: fiberfill, thread, crochet thread, muslin, interfacing, cardboard 9” h x 17” w x 8” d
A person of generous proportions, I like to think I also have a generous nature. Those who give frequently receive, as I have from friends, family, and colleagues. The contributed linen napkins I used in this sculpture tell their own stories of generosity – of dinner parties and holiday gatherings – in the stains and signs of wear. Sitting down for tea with a friend is a ritual of generosity I love to perform.
Kimberley Harding
Sandy’s Stability, 2022
Sandy’s collection of used and new shoelaces, telephone wire, thread 9” h x 11” w x 7” d
Sandy’s stability threatened to unravel during her husband’s final months of melanoma and cancer treatment-induced type 1 diabetes. Used to the protection and pampering by her loving husband for over 60 years, she focused on compulsive tidiness, elegance and family. Some of her compulsions included large collections of designer handbags, shoes, and shoelaces, all meticulously stored. When her husband’s diseases overcame his strength, with constant support from her three children, she struggled and rose to the challenge, keeping stitched together.
Kimberley Harding
Celia, 2023
Celia's tablecloth, various cords, wool batting, fiberfill, wire, thread, buttons, foam core 17” h x 13.25” w x 2.5” d
Celia was my grandmother-in-law. She was born in 1903 in Luninets, Belarus, married Milton in 1924, & had two daughters. She kept a pristine home, using her tablecloths for family celebrations. After she died at age 100, I was given her tablecloths, which I used until they began to wear out. I couldn’t part with them, until I came up with the idea of using one to create a portrait to honor Celia.
Kimberley Harding
PCP#4: Depression/Anxiety, 2023
fiber rush, prescription bottles, nylon cord, dye 7” h x 23” w x 17” d
Since adolescence depression and anxiety have been my shadow companions. I was privileged to partake of psychotherapy for many years, which was very helpful but insufficient to make living with the diseases tolerable. I resisted chemical treatment for a long, long time. During a particularly stressful period, I began experiencing panic attacks and succumbed to the lure of the medicated solution. I’ve been on a few over the years, and they work for the most part, but they have their cost. And there are still some days when depression, especially, escapes from the shadowy confines and grips me with its bruising tendrils. It wears me down and keeps me from doing what I love – creating.
Kimberley Harding
Pain Containment Pod No. 3: Right Shoulder, 2022
flat reed, birch bark, empty pill bottles, Thera-Bands, knitting needles, ice pack, paint 18 h x 16 w x 18 d
Any physical therapist will tell you shoulder pain is the worst to deal with. The skeletal-muscular structures are so complex, and the joint so necessary for everyday life, let alone the creative life. I haven’t let my repeated bouts of shoulder impingement stop me from working, though I probably should rest more. Now that I know I have a torn tendon I plan to pause work than demands a lot of strength.
Kimberley Harding
Pain Containment Pod No. 2: Left Foot, 2020
fiber splint, fiber rush, kinesiology tape, medical tape, hemp cord, artificial sinew, wire, fiber-reactive dye, acrylic paint, plastic arch support from orthotic, Icy Hot applicator, naproxen sodium, turmeric capsules, acetaminophen, acupuncture needles. 11" h x 12" w x 15" d
Pain is one of the “invisible” disabilities. I’ve been living with persistent pain from an assortment of causes for most of my life. I am not alone. Most of us experience pain intermittently, some of us bear with it regularly and others survive it incessantly. We all witness it if we open our eyes. Whatever its source, whether physical, psychological, or metaphysical, pain is dangerous, debilitating, draining, depressing. Wouldn’t life be so much better if we could only grab onto pain, remove it from the place it is causing suffering and contain it safely away? That’s what the Pain Containment Pod series does for me. Pod #1 is a response to an injury-related exacerbation of arthritis in my right knee. I was so angered by a doctor’s statement that “It was only pain.” I made a plaster cast of my knee as a reference for creating the form. Along with traditional basketry materials, I have woven this piece with items I used to alleviate the pain. Coincidentally (or not?), I experienced a reduction in knee pain after completing this sculpture.
Kimberley Harding
Pain Containment Pod No. 1: Right Knee, 2019
hand-dyed reed and bamboo skewers, elastic resistance bands, acrylic paint, hemp cord, glucosamine chondroitin, naproxen sodium, pill bottles, ginger tea wrappers, turmeric capsules, elastic bandage, hypodermic syringe 16" h x 12" w x 11" d
Kimberley Harding
Sanctuary, 2020
rhododendron prunings, daylily cord, found wood stump and bark curl, birch bark, red cedar bark, pine needles, walnut shell, waxed linen thread, artificial sinew, daylily stems & seed pods, blue false indigo seed pods, plant gall, copper wire, brass wire, beads, brass nails 34" h x 32" w x 24" d
Sanctuary invites you to imagine yourself in a special place hidden in the forest where you can retreat from daily cares, immerse yourself in natural beauty, and replenish your soul. It is inspired by an installation I made under the hemlock trees in my yard as a space to retreat to when coping with the pandemic was too much. Most of the natural materials were sourced from my garden.
Kimberley Harding
A Walk by the River, 2019
Dyed flat oval, round and oval oval reed, wood stretchers, waxed thread. 52"h x 35" w x 8"d
As part of a five-person group of Surface Design Association members, I created A Walk by the River for an exhibit of touchable art at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA. Unified in theme (“Out for a Walk”) and colors, each of the five pieces were created using different fiber techniques and materials. The exhibit was created in cooperation with the Perkins School for the Blind, which is located down the street from the Mosesian. This work expresses my love of nature using basketry techniques and materials. I’m always happiest when surrounded by trees near a body of water, preferably in the mountains. I was excited to make something that was intended to be touched, something that is usually forbidden for works of art. I like to inspire the desire to touch in my work. The visual-only arts limit the experience of the audience.
