Tapestries of Newfoundland’s flora and fauna
- Anastasia uses rug hooking and other textile techniques to create bold art pieces
- Her work is shaped by Newfoundland’s ecology and history
- Experimentation and imagination guide her practice
Anastasia Tiller is a multidisciplinary artist living on the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador. She brings a whimsical, contemporary sensibility to the province’s craft of rug hooking. Rooted in the traditional technique of looping yarn through burlap, she pushes the craft towards sculptural wall hangings, chairs, and immersive installations. "I was trained in drawing and painting," says Anastasia. "My approach to rug hooking is as to a painterly medium, selecting bright colours on intuition and treating yarn as pigment." Local flora and fauna inspire her textile creations, which feature fantastical aquatic creatures and imagined ecosystems. Anastasia's practice is guided by a philosophy of symbiosis, imagining humans and nature in a shared balance.
Interview
- How did you begin rug hooking?
- In Newfoundland and Labrador, rug hooking is everywhere. Artists exhibit their work, teach workshops, and set up frames at museums and community events, so everyone has a chance to try the technique. I started hooking during a long winter. A whole community inspired me to begin.
- How does your creation process unfold?
- My process starts with a feeling. I follow the wild ideas that excite me, even when they feel strange. I sketch from observing nature, then let those ideas evolve through imagination, before finally making them into something physical with yarn.
- How do you choose your colours?
- Years of painting gave me colour theory, but my choices are instinctive and shaped by life in Newfoundland. The long grey winters create a real hunger for colour, and local art reflects that. After one winter here, you understand why. Bright colours bring joy, and I want to share this feeling.
- Is there a connection between your craft and a sense of place?
- My work is rooted in the craft traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador, the environment that surrounds me, and the emotions this place evokes. It also grows from my daily practice and my connections to the community here.
Anastasia Tiller is a master artisan: she began her career in 2008 and she started teaching in 2014
Where
Anastasia Tiller
