Spotlight Artist Interview
Leslie Roth
July 2020
SPA: Tell us about your art. What do you create?
Leslie: I incorporate knitted pieces into mixed media sculptures. I typically focus on animals as my subjects, though I create the occasional monster.
SPA: How did you find “your” medium?
Leslie: I learned to knit at age 20, from an Irish friend, while living in a tent in Alaska. It turned out to be an addictive hobby for me, and one that was portable, inexpensive and easy to maintain during a nomadic phase of life. I just needed two sticks and a ball of yarn to create something that I could wear or give. I immediately loved everything about knitting, still do, the feel of the needles and yarn in my hands, the cadence of the movements, and the unlimited options it presents. When you knit, anything is possible. Plus this type of handwork dovetailed with my interest in cultural Anthropology, which is what I was studying at the time. Knitting exists in cultures all over the world, each with their own traditions and techniques and I’ve enjoyed investigating many of them.
Leslie: I learned to knit at age 20, from an Irish friend, while living in a tent in Alaska. It turned out to be an addictive hobby for me, and one that was portable, inexpensive and easy to maintain during a nomadic phase of life. I just needed two sticks and a ball of yarn to create something that I could wear or give. I immediately loved everything about knitting, still do, the feel of the needles and yarn in my hands, the cadence of the movements, and the unlimited options it presents. When you knit, anything is possible. Plus this type of handwork dovetailed with my interest in cultural Anthropology, which is what I was studying at the time. Knitting exists in cultures all over the world, each with their own traditions and techniques and I’ve enjoyed investigating many of them.
Leslie: Later when my kids were young, I began to make costumes for them. It started with a lion hat and evolved into entire outfits, some like a Cerberus with multiple heads. I co-owned a yarn store at the time and a customer, who had seen some of the costumes I made, invited me to attend a textile art critique group. That invitation opened up a whole new world to me, and I jumped into a deeper exploration of sculptural knitting. Knitting three dimensionally is very exciting to me, my favorite part of the process. I’m energized by the challenge of shaping the fabric. I’ve since included additional materials and techniques, and like the play between them, though the knitting remains central to each piece.
SPA: Tell us a bit about your inspiration. Do the animals you create symbolize something in particular? Are you drawn to certain animals for a reason?
Leslie: Initially, I focused on mythological creatures and monsters, though for the last couple of years I’ve mainly created animals that live in Vermont. Most of them are the less loved amongst us, either considered nuisances or too commonplace to be remarkable like a rat, fisher cat, opossum or crow. I’m interested shifting perceptions by using unexpected materials and a healthy dose of humor. I was the kid who joked to deflect or distract, something I still do, and it infuses my work.
Leslie: Initially, I focused on mythological creatures and monsters, though for the last couple of years I’ve mainly created animals that live in Vermont. Most of them are the less loved amongst us, either considered nuisances or too commonplace to be remarkable like a rat, fisher cat, opossum or crow. I’m interested shifting perceptions by using unexpected materials and a healthy dose of humor. I was the kid who joked to deflect or distract, something I still do, and it infuses my work.
SPA: What are you currently working on?
Leslie: During the last few months, I’ve reverted to making monsters. It feels more relevant somehow. I’ve completed a two headed rat and a cyclops, and I’m currently finishing up a cockatrice. I’ve knit a bunch of swatches as well, which are small pieces of fabric. For a knitter the process is similar to sketching, and it provides the opportunity to play with yarn, stitch combinations, and color.
Leslie: During the last few months, I’ve reverted to making monsters. It feels more relevant somehow. I’ve completed a two headed rat and a cyclops, and I’m currently finishing up a cockatrice. I’ve knit a bunch of swatches as well, which are small pieces of fabric. For a knitter the process is similar to sketching, and it provides the opportunity to play with yarn, stitch combinations, and color.
Leslie: When I begin a sculpture, I start with the body which is carved from foam. I often use an adhesive, like matte medium, to cover it in small squares of canvas, though sometimes I cover the body in recycled bicycle tire inner tubes. After that I generally make the legs and other appendages from a combination of wood, wire, foam and knitting. Before attaching the knitted parts, I often embellish the body with wire which I rust using a combination of vinegar and salt. This process has the added benefit of dying the canvas with rust. The knitted parts are typically worked in one piece with all the shaping in the fabric rather than an underlying structure. I stuff and attach them to the body with upholstery tacks.
SPA: How do you find balance between your art-making practice and the daily obligations of life? Any advice for artists that might be struggling in this area?
Leslie: Like many people my age, I have a myriad of work, family and volunteer responsibilities. In the Summer I spend much of my free time outside working in the garden, and right now we’re also painting our garage. My kids are home full-time, which is not typical since one is 12 and the other 16, and we have three dogs, one of them still a puppy. So, time flies. Consequently, I try to break things down into small, bite-sized chunks and just keep at it, one stitch at a time. Most of my materials and tools are portable, so I bring them back and forth between home and studio, and can pull them out quickly when time permits.
Leslie: Like many people my age, I have a myriad of work, family and volunteer responsibilities. In the Summer I spend much of my free time outside working in the garden, and right now we’re also painting our garage. My kids are home full-time, which is not typical since one is 12 and the other 16, and we have three dogs, one of them still a puppy. So, time flies. Consequently, I try to break things down into small, bite-sized chunks and just keep at it, one stitch at a time. Most of my materials and tools are portable, so I bring them back and forth between home and studio, and can pull them out quickly when time permits.
Leslie is an instructor at SPA. She frequently teaches Free Form Knitting classes. Visit SPA's Classes page for current class listings.