Layer by Layer

by Marta Pezzucchi

Amy Usdin is a visual artist who has chosen textiles as her medium of expression. Everything that weaves and knots, tangles and transforms into patterns forms the foundation of her work—abstract forms that evoke an intimate, inner world.

Using off-loom techniques, Amy weaves mental, physical, and abstract landscapes into repurposed textiles. The meditative, slow process of weaving allows her to reflect—or sometimes, to completely clear her mind—as the nets she works on shift shape under the tension of knots and gravity. During this process, the transformation of fibers evolves into a narrative where the changing forms intertwine with the previous lives of the discarded nets, creating stories rich with unexpected associations.

Amy first began weaving with old nets while caring for her aging father, whose health was in decline. She describes a profound parallel between the careful yet imperfect work on these worn objects and the layered complexities of her own life. Working with textiles became a way for her to contemplate those layers.

Her journey began at 13, when she attempted to weave a large tapestry. Frustrated by impatience, the result was a distorted, imperfect piece. From that moment, Amy decided to embrace imperfection, giving her art a new direction. She now works intuitively, guided by tactile sensations, letting the threads determine their own paths.

Amy’s autobiographical meditations have since expanded into a broader narrative—one of loss and longing, a commentary on the dissonance of nostalgia. Her inspirations arise from fleeting moments or vast landscapes, as well as the materials themselves. Old nets channel fragments of past lives, exuding a sense of intimacy. The fibers, worn and softened by use, spark waves of memory and visual associations that nourish her imagination. This process generates a creative flow, with her pieces emerging almost spontaneously.

Each net behaves differently, shaped by its age and wear. Some are pliable, others elastic, some uneven—but all yield to gravity. Every decision Amy makes is deliberate, yet the options dwindle as her work moves toward its final form. Challenges inevitably arise during this intricate dance between artist and sculpture, pushing her through cycles of excitement and frustration as she navigates technical obstacles.

After early experiments with textile art, Amy set aside the idea of an artistic career due to limited opportunities in the Midwest. She pursued graphic communications at Washington University in St. Louis, eventually becoming an art director.

Years later, an unexpected opportunity to attend a retrospective of Sheila Hicks—a pioneering artist who blends textiles with sculpture and painting—rekindled Amy’s interest in textile art. She was immediately inspired. Back home, she rediscovered an old net she had purchased years earlier for its tactile appeal. She decided to use it as a base, weaving knots and patterns guided by intuition and muscle memory. The result was her first piece, and she has continued to use repurposed nets ever since, layering them with meditative transformations.

Her work has since been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, earning her recognition such as awards from the Surface Design Association and grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. In 2024, Amy’s career reached a milestone with the Stone and DeGuire Contemporary Art Award from Washington University.

Amy’s layered, meditative works seem to invite us to look closely at the knots and folds, as if the sculptures themselves are weaving inward, evoking in us a state of deep reflection. Her art reminds us that sometimes, new beginnings can emerge unexpectedly—even from an old, forgotten object. A small spark, a tactile memory, can open up paths we had thought lost, waiting to be rediscovered, layer by layer.