Renée Owen’s sculptural fiber and book art combines repurposed, found objects with fabric, paper, wire, natural dye & eco-printing, embroidery and calligraphy, elevating the detritus of everyday life to newfound purpose and meaning. A focus on eco-sustainable art practices, as well as content addressing themes of the environment, injustice and the diaspora weave in and out of her work.
The richly tactile assemblages embody a wabi sabi aesthetic, finding beauty in reuse and the rustic simplicity of imperfection. Nuanced work which communicates a keen awareness of conservation, preservation and impermanence, her work celebrates each small moment. Sometimes startling, always revealing, it exposes and explores the fragility of the natural world, our daily lives and our connections with one another.
Living and working in Northern California as a psychotherapist, Renée has exhibited her award-winning art in numerous juried shows. It is held in both public & private collections and has been featured in print in numerous catalogues, as well as Surface Design Journal, Fiber Arts Now, Letter Arts Review & Lark’s 500 Handmade Books, Vol. II. Her poetry, featured in or inspiring much of her art, is published internationally in print & online journals and in two award winning collections, This One Life (Backbone Press) and Alone on a Wild Coast (Snapshot Press).