Windy chien

Tour the new sun-filled studio space of artist Windy Chien in San Francisco’s Mission and learn how to make your own knot art.

Three years ago, Windy Chien made the dramatic decision to leave her job at Apple and pursue knot-tying. The author talks with us about navigating the dramatic change.

"The #YearOfKnots gives me many rich things. It's a daily ritual that allows me to quickly access the blissful state of flow that had previously been so elusive to me. It's my art school, where I learn the elemental building blocks of art: line, form, shape, space, texture, and color. It's a history lesson, where I learn knots' context in nautical life, the material and physical properties of rope, and how for any given situation there's a knot that is right while all the others are wrong…

In Chien’s hands, a single length of rope can transform into a large-scale sculpture.

Each of Windy Chien's rope artworks is based on a single type of knot and suggests a journey, encouraging the eye to follow a strand of rope as it wends through a piece.

De Mattei Construction along with Lauren Nelson Design created this classic Craftsman house built for modern living in Los Gatos, California.

Windy Chien makes art that activates space and crafts objects that elevate the daily rituals of life.