Jen Arron

Weaver | Toronto, Canada

Stories told through natural fibres

Jen creates sculptural wall hangings
Her layered pieces reflect her philosophy of life
She often works with repurposed fabrics and recycled fibres

Jen Arron creates ethereal and delicate wall hangings using raw and recycled fibres. The textures of wool, raw silk, linen, cotton and flax are regular features of her compositions. Jen employs a Japanese-style floor loom alongside a large custom wall loom and portable frame looms to create her pieces. After a career as a professional photographer, she discovered a love for weaving during a weekend workshop. As a largely self-taught weaver, Jen tests yarn structure as she works, looking to the material to guide her in the composition of the piece. Finished pieces include layers of knots, frays and irregularities, working in layers with a range of textures. “My practice privileges touch, structure and speaking in layers,” she says.

Interview

©Shannon Laliberte

©Christina Gapic

What drew you to the loom?: I missed making with my hands. As a photographer, I had become tethered to a computer. When I discovered weaving, it opened up this space where I could reconnect with a sense of physical making. The weaving process allows me to be present throughout, not just at the ‘click’.
How do you work with layers to create your works?: I experience the world as layered. I look at a lot of different sides of an experience to reflect the way the world is. Layering fibres through weaving allows me to build that complexity physically rather than simulate it in two dimensions.
Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces?: Ideas can come from a spark, a colour, a memory or the way light hits a scrap in the studio. I select a fibre palette, define the scale and begin to weave samples. Because I am largely self-taught, sampling is my sketchbook, giving me the opportunity to test structure at full size before committing to the piece.
What do you consider when working with commissions?: Freedom is important when creating a strong piece. When I work with commissions, we set intention around scale, mood, palette but also include a sense of freedom. It is a trust-based relationship between collector and artist: I will not shape-shift into a different artist and collectors will always find my voice.

Jen Arron is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2017 and she started teaching in 2019