Painting with yarns and needles
- Kathrine's tapestries are made with second hand or gifted yarn
- Her works are inspired by art and the world around her
- Repeating motifs and shapes are a cornerstone of her aesthetic
Kathrine Kjærsgaard creates abstract and colourful tapestries inspired by still lifes. After discovering a tapestry at a Copenhagen market, she left Kolding Design School, where she was training in illustration and graphic design at the time, to become a tapestry artist. Katherine's works bring together organic shapes, graphic frames and scenes from life with bright colours, reflecting her broad set of inspirations. Her creations, which include hand-tufted tapestry works, often have recurring themes and shapes. “Ideas come from all kinds of places,” she says. “I am constantly looking for new colour combinations and shapes everywhere, not just in other tapestries. I like to say I am a painter, but with yarn – my needle is my brush."
Interview
- What sparked your interest in tapestries?
- I fell in love with a tapestry piece at a Copenhagen market. It felt like a new way to see pictures, textures and fabrics. I could not stop thinking about it. I found a tapestry needle in a second hand shop and ended up attending a tapestry course.
- How do you work with your colours?
- I love colours and I never use black. The colours lead my process, but I am limited by the yarn I work with, as it is either gifted or found. I cannot make a piece twice because I do not always have enough yarn, which adds to its uniqueness.
- Where do you find inspiration for your work?
- I am inspired by art and the world around me. I saw a woman dressed from head to toe in yellow recently, from her jacket and shoes to her glasses – everything. It made me want to make a piece using the same colour. I sample all the good I see around me and turn it into art.
- What does your creative process look like?
- I always start with a sketch, which goes over the fabric on the frame. Then I work from the back, so the work is always mirrored, and I decide which of the three heights of loop to use. The final tapestry is trimmed and then finished with liquid latex.
Kathrine Kjærsgaard is a rising star: she began her career in 2018
Where
Kathrine Kjærsgaard
