Celebrating the beauty of yarn
- Laura designs and crafts textile pieces for interiors and exteriors
- Her projects span public art, textile design, curation, artist residencies and education
- She founded her studio in 2004 in South Wales
Many of the best artisans and artists find their main inspiration in the creative process itself, British textile artist Laura Thomas is definitely one of them. She had an early passion in school for graphic design, but textiles won her over whilst studying on her foundation course. She fell in love with weaving when she discovered the loom on her degree course, which then led her to a MA followed by a Weave Design Research Fellowship. Since then, she has never stopped exploring this craft – which she’s also been teaching for more than 20 years – with exceptional commitment. Her craft combines different techniques and also unconventional materials in order to create objects – mainly decorative art pieces for both interiors and exteriors – that celebrate the beauty of the yarn.
Interview
- Did you have a master in your craft at home?
- Not in my family, the only creative person in my family was my grandmother. But I always knew I would have a creative career. I was fortunate to have had many inspiring tutors and mentors throughout my education, several of whom introduced me to unconventional ways of working with materials and processes.
- What is at the core of your research with textiles?
- I am deeply inspired by the weave process itself. My research is all about understanding the art of weaving and my craft aims to celebrate the beauty of the yarn in many ways: capturing an unwoven thread, mixing soft and hard materials and creating unexpected aesthetics.
- Do you have any specific inspiration in terms of aesthetics?
- My creativity is inspired by the horizontal and vertical lines of the landscapes I am surrounded by, especially the horizon, whose line is broken by hills, mountains or the sea. It’s totally subconscious but clearly linked to the horizontal and vertical lines of the warp and weft.
- What is for you the added value of handmade?
- The value of handmade is the complete control I have over the entire process. It allows for something truly unique and bespoke to be created.
Laura Thomas is a master artisan: she began her career in 2001 and she started teaching in 2001
Where
Laura Thomas
