Maria Arseniuk is a Canadian artist who works at the intersection of feminism and fiber art. She sells her work under the name Femmebroidery. Maria was a Women’s Studies major. She began exploring embroidery as a hands-on distraction from the intellectual demands of grad school. Upon graduation, she began working in craft full-time. She started incorporating mixed media into her art, working in collaboration with her partner. In this interview, she shares the pros and cons of expanding her art beyond feminism/craftivism while still holding that perspective at the core of what she does. On Embroidery and Crafting When and how did you learn embroidery? I began embroidery when I…
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Interview with Weaver Meghan Bogden Shimek
Meghan Bogden Shimek is a fiber artist and weaver. She uses textiles to explore themes of loss, discomfort, and healing. Her training is in traditional tapestry and Navajo weaving techniques. She combines her skills as a weaver with organic movement inspiration. The result is artistic wall hangings that are rich in texture and reminiscent of landscapes. Meghan is based in Oakland, California. In this interview, she gives us insight into her artwork. She also shares what it’s like to be a professional artist and the single mom of a young child, including how helpful it is to rely on a community of women for support. A Working Artist Many people find…
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Interview with Fashion Founder CeliaB
Celia Bernardo is the founder of CeliaB, a Spanish fashion brand that she created after spending a decade working with large brand names in fashion. She loves to travel and collects textiles and patterns from all around the world. Additionally, she loves incorporating inspiration from everywhere into her texture-rich clothing designs. In this interview, she shares her inspirations, motivations and the story of her brand. Launching The CeliaB Brand Q: You have worked with some big businesses in the past. What inspired you to start your own brand? I worked with brands like Zara, Pepe Jeans, and Asobio for ten years. After that, I thought it was time to set up…
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Interview with Weaving Artist Maryanne Moodie
Brooklyn-based Australian weaving artist Maryanne Moodie combines her innovative work in textile design with teaching fiber art workshops, curating weaving kits for beginners and authoring a book. Her all-around creative (and sustainable!) lifestyle is inspiring to women around the world who wish to live their artistic dreams, and especially to mothers of young children as she sets an example for being a caring, working mama. In this interview, she gives us a glimpse into this colorful world. On Weaving Q: Let’s start by talking about your weaving work. Why did you select this as your primary medium? A: Something about weaving just spoke to me. I found a loom and taught…
