ABOUT AUTHORESS

Resident of  Klaipeda Ausra Grigaitiene started counting the stages of creative course since 2001. Guided by an authentic still small voice, she designed her first ornament (liturgical wear). In 2002-2003, she acquired the basics of professional clothing design in Klaipeda Dressmaking, Styling, and Designing School. Upon assessment of the quality of the designed works, in 2004 she was admitted to the Folk Artists’ Union.

Within the panorama of Lithuanian textile, the creative work of Ausra Grigaitiene is especially rare and exclusive in terms of the choice of the definite field of the applied art – dressmaking and ornamentation of the liturgical wear. This is a distinctive mission of the sacral art, which the author assumes deliberately and with great responsibility. The author mostly receives orders from the representatives of the churches and monasteries of the West Lithuania – especially successful cooperation takes place with the Lithuanian Franciscans. Typological spectrum of the creations is very broad: these are the chasubles, liturgical coats of the priests, albs, veils, tippets, as well as frontals of various liturgical times. For her works the textile author uses not only the tailor-made fabrics, but very often applies a certain clothing as well as author’s conception corresponding fabric – cotton, union cloth, wool, or linen fabrics, woven in various weaves by the manual weaving machine. For ornamentation, she chooses hand needlework, more seldom needlecraft or macramé weaving technique. A. Grigaitiene discovered an individual so called “half cross” stitching method, which is absolutely a result of search of original creative course and which distinguishes her from other artists, currently working within the field of textile. Macramé weaving technique should be noted, which was developed by the author, used for making fringes, which are woven differently every time and are individually harmonized with the general stylistics of décor. When looking at the works of the artist it is evident that every time she makes great effort in going deep into the symbolism and history of the ornamentation of the future wear as well as the purpose and context of the garment. It should also be noted that when undertaking a new creative task, A. Grigaitiene is great in keeping the balance between the requests of the customer and independent ornamentation conception of the author. This input of creative and conceptual idea, felt in every work, as well as highly sensitive performance technique certifies about great sense of responsibility of the author, which, along the independence of the talent, is one of the most natural criteria of professional skill.

The style of ornamentation of the creations of A. Grigaitiene is named as a certain stylized interpretation of folk tradition, ornamentation distinguishes for the reserved and moderate plastic, herbal or geometrical motives are commonly used, the source of which is Baltic or Achaean ornamental prototypes, which are quite versatile in their essence, echoing with the cosmogonic motives. Christian symbolism in the works of the artist is very delicate and creditably unobtrusive; the conception of the world-view is characterized by the balanced and harmonized attitude.

Viewed from the visual art language standpoint, good composition skills and colorist data is observed in the creations of A. Grigaitiene, her compositions are marked with the great sense of rhythm and proportionality, plastic mindset is characteristic for constructive tendency in harmony with the subtle sensual parameters. The criterion, which is very important in the applied arts – especially thorough and technologically flawless performance, which plays one of the most important roles in the works of A. Grigaitiene in acquiring the quality of style and aesthetics, should be noted as well. All creations characterize for a certain stylistic unity and singleness, certifying the formation of the original hand of the author, and at the same time marked is the diversity of the motives and compositional solutions, witnessing an unquestionable creative potential of the artist. Some of the most successful works shall be as follows: the collections of the liturgical wear, designed for the Franciscan monasteries of the Hill of Crosses and Pakutuvenai (Kretinga region).  Vestments of A. Grigaitiene are worn by priests and monks in Lithuania, United States of America, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, England and South Korea.

The creative work of the author has already been observed and positively evaluated in the press, the assessment of all the customers are unambiguously positive as well – clothing, designed by A. Grigaitienė, distinguish for great quality and functionality, they radiate warmth and harmony.

Exceptional accurateness of the author as well as responsible attitude towards all stages of the creative work, promptly crystallized individual touch as well as exhibited creative potential is not just clear signs of talent, but also a great security for further artistic development. Creative work of the author certainly surpasses the regional scale and it is possible to state that a new artistic personality entered the Lithuanian textile, and especially the low-developed bars of the liturgical art.

The creative work of A. Grigaitienė fills in the gap of the liturgical art, felt in today’s professional textile, contributes to the enrichment of the present textile heritage, simultaneously having the social mission of making our environment more aesthetical.