London

Carola van Dyke

Textile sculptor | Hastings, United Kingdom

Painting nature with thread

Carola comes from a creative family of painters, seamstresses and furniture makers
She developed her own techniques by playing with light and colour
To her, a well made piece displays vulnerability, strength and harmony

Carola Van Dyke explores nature through thread and needle, inspired by the melodrama of 17th and 18th-century Dutch paintings. After a bachelor's degree in fashion and textile design, she founded her own taxidermy and cushion business. Later, Carola returned to her painting roots but replaced her brush with a needle. At a residency near Monet’s gardens, she stitched a new artistic path for herself. "Thread creates a delicate expression, yet when stitched together, it gains a certain strength. As my inspiration is nature, its beauty and vulnerability, it is a perfect fit,” Carola says. Her work has led to unique commissions and shows such as Collect Art Fair London and VOLTA Basel.

Interview

Has nature always played a big role your life and art?: I have lived in the countryside for 20 years. Beauty has always been important in my work, alongside awareness for the environment and what we do not see in the undergrowth. I also love still-life, particularly vanitas paintings and their symbolism, with their falling feathers, dramatically drooping tulips and exotic birds.
Which techniques do you enjoy the most?: I seek a balance between controlled stitching and going wild on the machine. With the wrong tension, it creates a loose stitch. I enjoy making decayed feathers, leaves or petals this way. It is all about what I do not stitch, and not what I do stitch.
What is your dream project?: My dream project would be a contemporary Wunderkammer, a cabinet of curiosities, that merges traditional grandeur with modern sensibilities. A series of wall hangings and embroidered 3D objects would be displayed alongside 17th and 18th-century masterpieces and old velvet, damask wallpaper.
How does your work process usually start?: I begin with research and sketch concepts, but it is impossible to plan exactly where each stitch will fall. Different top and bottom colours create endless tones, suiting an intuitive approach particularly for 3D pieces, where front and back are each unique.

Carola van Dyke is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2016