Helix 2 is part of a collection of sculptures which investigate creating complex forms using my spiraling technique, developed in 1999. This piece was made for a private home, part of a project called "Constellation of Light", comprised of 7 spiraling forms, each lit and hanging from the ceiling.

The following is my written response when seeing this piece hung and lit, after 5 months of sewing ot horizontally on a tabletop in my studio:
There is a feeling that is evoked within when I touch and see bamboo, during processing the material and building with it. It is a feeling that also comes when I am looking at artwork made from bamboo by others, especially black bamboo. The skin is as familiar to me as if it was my own skin. Bamboo’s skin has an almost animal quality to it, alive, grounded in the earth, ancient, and radiant. My own body feels as if it is a parallel, that the bamboo too, holds its own knowledge bigger than the physical thing that it is. The granular rainbow-like undertone is hidden unless one is looking at it in the sun. I sometimes wonder if I am almost seeing the molecules of the bamboo.
As I was constructing this piece there were struggles in life as well as struggles within the piece, also a parallel. When making a complex form there are always things I cannot see while in the middle of the making, hypothesis about spacing, the amount of material, which mold to use to make the curves in the material, the amount of time, materials, etc. It is nearly impossible to completely plan out, unless I were to use a computer program. The work would still have variables. The only thing to do is to step into the abyss of faith that the knowledge I have acquired up until now will lead me to the answers required to bring forth form from the depths of the earth, for that is truly where my materials originate from.
It is the same in the life that I led during the making of Constellation of Light. Trying to balance work with the life of a caretaker to many-a child, a mother, a dog, a spouse,, a house, garden, 13 chickens, a dog, and a community. All of these nurture my heart as much as I nurture them, although the balance of it all with caretaking my own earthly body is a tricky thing, not easily fine tuned.
There was a week or two of unbalance, days here and there, which I used to reflect on where balance is to be had, how to fine tune it. I decided again that unbalance is only a negative if we do not reflect on why we are caught in a state of being on one side or the other of that tightrope we all walk called life. The goal is to feel whole, at peace, nourished, and as though my feet are touching the ground, my heart is connected, and my soul is connected to and inspired by source creative energy. There are so many practices that help to create that state. There is a dark and light to be balanced within this practice. I create a hypothesis of how to best achieve it and walk forth trying practices, approximating balance, cultivating heart.
Within every piece, and every struggle within life, there is a point where I have doubt, where faith could be lost, where I could give up, if it were not for faith that I was lead to this moment to find the light, the lesson, the creative solution, within the moment of difficulty. I am grateful that over and over again creativity shows up to lend a hand. There are choices, there are solutions, there is light along with the shadow of the moment.
After months of work, when I hung up the Helix and turned on the light within the piece, I was floored. I knew it would cast light and shadows, that was a given. But to see it in action, to see a nautilus on the floor, a splash of light across the wall, and strips of light everywhere was a surprise. There are always surprises in taking a leap of faith in the creative process.
The familiarity of the bamboo skin, the form, and the light within the helix looked to me like a soul housed within a body. The light and dark everywhere reminded me of our actions. We have no idea where the light or dark of our actions may land, but there will be beauty. And I hope that mostly there is light.
Where ever that light and dark are remember to take your heart with you.