Ornament is the leading magazine celebrating wearable art. Explore jewelry, fashion, beads; contemporary, ancient and ethnographic.
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65 ORNAMENT 35.5.2012 That does not mean her latest creations are simple or quick. Her sizeable neckpieces are similar to bib necklaces in format, with waxed linen knotted and woven in complex, typically symmetrical patterns, and shining and sparkling metal, silver and stone beads sprinkled as accents throughout. "It takes a lot of hours to complete a project," Rutherford says. "Not only in the knot tying process, but the design flow and placement of beads is very critical for me. My intense details don't always just happen. Most beads are a deliberate choice and placement. I can have difficulty with an area of the work where it needs a particular size, shape, color, or texture to have the right look and continuity." She often works in subdued thread hues, both a result of her supplier's stock and a conscious choice—"I really like the interaction of the soft shades of the fiber to support the brightness and clarity of the beads." She prefers the natural irregularity and aged look of the waxed linen as a showcase for her other components, often Middle Eastern and Asian beads, glass or faceted stones, nuggets, and chips. Her centerpieces are often detailed metal beads, and Victorian, Art Noveau, Art Deco, and Islamic inspired pieces are favorites of hers. While Rutherford looks back with fondness at her early exposure to art, she finds the association with macramé and 1970s clichés to be shortsighted. "Earlier perceptions in the arts and crafts culture is that macramé is a passé, dated medium to create in. It seems that the public and academia resist to see it in a different light. Many people remember the past reputation of hemp wall hangings, planted potholders and such. I understand that it is hard to get past that. I hear it all the time whenever I do a show. Attendees will say that they remember doing it as a teenager; then they will say, 'but it never looked like that!' " Macramé has had a bit of a hard rap. But, with the cyclical nature of fashion, crocheted and macramé tops, skirts and dresses, bags, and even swimsuits are making a comeback, borrowing the decades-old aesthetic and injecting it with a bit of modernity. Rutherford's work seems to be riding this wave of retro and all-things-1970s interest. But, her work is not necessarily about following trends or fashion. "I have a reverence and dedication to it," she says. "This creativity expressed in my work comes from my heart, the center, the core of who I am. Although I have the experience of having worked in this medium for forty years, I am still astonished at what I create. I sometimes feel like I am a conduit. Like fellow artists, I heed a call to make the designs a reality; an exotic dance of the heart and mind working together." AUTUMN HEART of waxed linen, dichroic pendant, Swarovski crystal, garnet, Indian lampwork beads, Czech glass, copper, copper- plated pewter; predominant double half-hitch knots and wrapping, 35.6 centimeters, 2011. SPICE BOX of waxed linen, copper, copper-plated pewter, carved wood, etched agate, dyed pearls, lapis, Swarvoski crystal, Czech glass, Indian glass beads; predominant double half-hitch knots and wrapping; 43.2 centimeters, 2011.