“It is the sheer joy of creating something with my hands that is the foundation for my work … I strive to create work that invites the viewer to explore it over and over again and is uplifting to the spirit,” states Duluth fiber artist Linda Sorem.

Linda is interested in the infinite forms of living things, especially in the color and detail presented by microscopic photography. “I am fortunate to live in a time period of history where there is social acceptance of a wide range of artistic expression and the visions of artist can be executed to their full measure. It is one of the reasons I have had the courage to risk using one of the oldest known crafts – basketry – and endeavoring to elevate it as an art form,” she explains.

The artist’s unusual, elaborate surface designs result from the sculptural rattan forms she creates first. Using a variety of elements, Linda responds to her initial forms, adding color and detail with wire, beads, shells and other found materials.