New Work

Eternal Vigilance

My newest sculptures draw on the imagery of a cage. A black steel structure, both safe haven and confining enclosure, sets the stage. Cold sharp lines of metal tracery evoke an elegant fence and the menacing angled walls of a prison.

The story develops through a sequece of sculptures. As the metal barrier changes, its beauty gives way to a more ominous structure. Fanciful birds trapped behind beautiful metal tracery discover their safe haven is a prison and muster the courage to break free, while doubts and confusion continue to confine them.

fanciful sculpture of blue, orange, grey bird breaking through wires of black metal enclosure

We Didn’t Recognize the Danger

small grey knitted birds huddled in corner of black wire structure with dark shadow of hawk

Size: 15 x 24 x 16 inches

Materials: wire, metal frame, wool, rigid foam, felt, cloth tape, rattan

At first the beautiful metal tracery of the black metal enclosure is enchanting with its avian figures. The strong black lines in this monochromatic piece are both beautiful and cold. The structure can be perceived as a cage, but is it really impenetrable? The threatening angled walls close in on the little birds, but how much of the threat is imagined as opposed to real?

Huddled in the corner are small ill-formed neo-bird like balls of fluff. Their wings were tucked in close to their bodies, their beaks are soft and stubby, and their eyes are dull grey dots on otherwise featureless faces. There is an ominous shadow stretching across their view.

tiny barely formed knitted birds in corner of black cage with walls made of wire silhouettes of birds
focus detail on two tiny grey knitted birds with black eyes, wire lines of enclosure blurred
detail view of four tiny knitted birds on bottom of cage and one perched on ledge inside cage

Courage is the Path to Freedom

sculpture of bird with blue fabric breast, dull orange wing and dark dull orange back, gray tail, bright orange beak poking through wire enclosure

Size: 18 x 20 x 18 inches

Materials: wire, metal frame, handspun wool yarn, cotton fabric, cloth tape, rigid foam, mulberry paper, stone clay, rattan, acrylic paint, screws

Courage is the Path to Freedom is the second work in her narrative series Eternal Vigilance. Soft knitted birds are trapped in hard wire cages that are more sinister than first appear. The walls of the cage are not quite solid, not quite open. Its ominous nature is spelled out in wire letters forming barriers: FEAR CRUSH DICTATE RULE POWER TERROR. Powerful yet capable of being breached, this cage is a metaphor for tyranny. One bird recognizes the cage for what it is and pushes out, breaking apart the wire fencing. It has grown larger and taken on color from its gray tail feathers to the orange tip of its beak. The bird’s wings are functional, though somewhat clumsy. From the ground inside the cage, a tiny featureless bird watches in awe.

Read about my purposeful color choices for this work in this blog post.

sculpture of fanciful gray, blue, orange bird balanced between inside and outside of cage with tiny gray bird remaining at bottom corner of cage
tiny bird sculpture in bottom corner of cage looking up at large colorful bird that is flying out of the broken barrier

Are We Free Now?

paper, fabric, knitting, and wire sculpture of two birds walking away from broken cage while bodies surrounded with black wire

Size: 10 x 20 x 23 inches

Materials: wire, metal frame, handspun yarns, rigid foam, cloth tape, mulberry paper, wood, stone clay, acrylic paint, screws © 2024 Eve Jacobs-Carnahan.

Are we free now? is the third work in Eternal Vigilance, continuing the series’ progression from blindness in the face of danger to freedom. These birds have knocked over the cage that once confined them. They are walking away, tentatively venturing into a new world. But adopting a new mindset is challenging. They carry the remnants of their cage in their minds, as represented by the swirling wire around their bodies. They are confused and bewildered. That tension is reflected in the distressed blue violet surface on one and the chaotically tangled knitting on another. Their unsteady stance and cocked heads reveal a hesitation to move forward. The formal controls over their freedom have fallen away, yet the remnants of tyranny haunt them.

blue violet and yellow orange bird sculptures with swirling black wire loosely wrapped around and attached to their bodies
yellow orange bird sculpture with black wire swirling around its body as it stands amidst broken panels of cage
close up of deep yellow orange bird with dark blue violet knitted back and feet with swirling black wire around body and head

Setting Fears Aside

blue knitted bird standing guard over chicks in nest

Size: 11 x 20 x 18 inches

Materials: handspun yarn, linen yarn, mulberry paper, wood, gathered branches and leaves, rigid foam, canvas, clay, wire, acrylic paint, screws © 2024 Eve Jacobs-Carnahan.

This pensive bird looks over a nest that holds two fluffy chicks. It watches intently while standing guard over the nest. The bird’s wings are slightly raised, ready to act to protect its young. The babies nestle close together in a bed of reeds. Knitting the bird in several shades of blue, I tried to evoke a feeling of calm and steadiness. The color suggests stillness, like a calm body of water.

The words from the earlier works echo in this piece. The letter “E” rests on the ground near the bird’s feet. Looking closely, you might make out additional letters intermixed with the twigs and reeds in the nest: F – A – R – S. Having recognized the threat and mustered enough courage to push against it, this bird makes a commitment to the future. In the face of a frightening world, it fosters hope. Rearrange the letters in and around the nest to discover a more secure future.

blue knitted bird standing over chicks in nest of twigs, reeds, and wire letters

Unfettered

Size: 6 x 20 x 23 inches

Materials: wool and silk yarns, cotton fabric, rigid foam, wire, mulberry paper, wood, air-dry clay, hardware, acrylic paint © 2024 Eve Jacobs-Carnahan.

In contrast to the earliest works in this series, here the bird is fully formed with outstretched wings that shimmer in the light. They are lacy and airy. The bird itself has evolved through the five pieces in the series. With each piece she gains color and her wings develop form.

Finally free of all restrictions, she flies off. Spreading her lacy golden wings, she lifts gracefully into the air. Her feathers are the color of sunshine and fire. She is strong, daring, alive, and fearless.