Christina Dostaler’s sculptural works, made from a joining of fiber-based processes and painting techniques, are quietly captivating. Dostaler uses translucent materials, Mylar and monofilament, which are then painted and dipped in acrylics to create her deceitfully cool statements. The childlike and innocent hues of her works tend to generate an air of wonder that is in contrast to the tension infused within the structural components. These works are built as a whole, fully dependent on the structural integrity of composition, and the fiber processes employed insure this. Yet, experienced up close, her works reveal the agitation of the needle and thread, the tension of weaving, and the push and pull of the translucent materials through knots and meshes, resulting in a calm release that recalls the exhale of breath in the form of a sigh. Her works speak to this reliance and discharge of energy. - Ryan LaFerney