Sea Monster by Textile Artist Terri Rehg

Description

Rising from oceanic depths in a tangle of blue-green fiber, Sea Monster emerges surrounded by waves of Rya weaving that flow like underwater vegetation. His sage-green face features striking embroidered details—wavy stripes in bright yellow, turquoise, and deep blue cascade down his elongated form like tribal markings or bioluminescent patterns. Bloodshot eyes peek from beneath a crown of green felt, while a yellow mouth opens to reveal shell teeth. The cascading Rya fringe in blues, greens, and whites creates incredible movement and texture, transforming the piece from mounted sculpture into something alive and flowing.

About the Piece

Part of Terri Rehg’s Monster Series, Sea Monster represents the artist’s exploration of Rya weaving techniques discovered during a transformative experience at Haystack Mountain School of Arts in Maine. The integration of traditional Scandinavian Rya weaving with soft sculpture creates extraordinary dimensional texture—each strand of the multi-colored fringe was individually knotted by hand. The result is a piece that challenges the boundary between textile art, sculpture, and fiber craft.

Materials & Construction

One-of-a-kind mixed media piece featuring hand-stitched and embroidered sage-green felt face with yellow, turquoise, and blue wave patterns, bloodshot eyes, green felt crown details, shell teeth, extensive hand-knotted Rya weaving in blues, greens, and whites creating the surrounding “mane,” poly fill, and wooden mounting plaque. Each fiber strand individually placed to create movement and depth.

Dimensions

• Overall with weaving: 16″ tall x 12″ wide x 8″ deep

Display

Ready to hang. Sea Monster’s flowing Rya fringe creates dramatic three-dimensional presence that shifts with air movement and changes perspective from different angles. The piece needs breathing room to showcase the full effect of that spectacular fiber work—perfect as a standalone statement piece.

Artist Statement: Discovering the faces that live within the canvas with the stroke of a needle is a journey with each piece created. It all starts with the eyes and builds from there and magically a new creature is born. The series in gray was first conceptualized as a canvas piece to paint on but so much came from the stark gray that the series continues to grow each piece totally different and unique.

Terri has been creating toys since she was a child and studied Textiles in school. Learning the craft of the toy maker is a dream that has taken a life time to achieve and now is able to incorporate into her artwork.. The oldest of eight children she has been “Sister” to a wonderful tight knit family that shares many artists in their flock. Pre2022 signed her work as “Sis”.

Textile Artist Terri Rehg