Our guest contributor visits us all the way from The Netherlands. Marijke van Welzen makes wearable art; clothing and accessories with a story to tell, under the label of art2wear. “Textiles,” says van Welzen, “lends itself to infinite possibilities of expression.” She loves the tactile aspect—feeling different textures such as soft, rough, hairy, smooth and more. She works intuitively. One inspirational tool she has found useful are Mandala drawings. Marijke likens her creative process to meditating. “It’s amazing what grows under my hands,” she shares. There was an early introduction to textile crafts. Marijke’s mother was an accomplished knitter. Making handicrafts and drawing was an integral part of home life. As a teenager, she used curtains and hand-embroidered tablecloths, her grandmother has made, to practice sewing clothes. Today, Marijke leads a very hectic life. She is a middle school teacher three days a week. Her art helps her keep the balance in her life, giving her a creative way to escape the everyday situations that arise and relax her mind. “I am inspired by art, other artists, fabric, fibres, fashion, people fairy tales and the natural world,” shares Marijke. The many elements and techniques she incorporates into her creations make it easy to see how her multi-faceted sources of inspiration play an active role. When you first look at an intricate and complex van Welzun work of art, it’s hard to fathom how she even begins to bring all the pieces together. Marijke participates in many contests whose themes she finds inspiring. This is often where the process begins. She
114 fabric vine 2014
contemplates the contest theme and then moves on to research. Research might involve reading articles and browsing through images. Then, the work begins. “It works like a kind of puzzle where I find one piece and then another and another until I’m finishes,” notes Van Welzeun, “I never know exactly beforehand what the end result will look like”. In some cases, some time may pass in between finding the right pieces. It is not unusual for it to take a couple months to complete a single coat. Van Welzun incorporates a variety of surface design techniques into her work. She might start with tiny pieces of fabric or felt and build from there. Beads, ribbons, lace and more often find their way into a piece. One of her favorite techniques is to use colorful machine threads to “paint” her designs. With her work constantly evolving, Marijke continues to experiment with techniques and materials. Many of her pieces are commissioned and tailor made to suit the client. All of her garments are exquisite and unique. When asked to recall the best advice she ever received, van Welzen is quick to say, “Try to do some art every day, even if it’s only for an hour.” She’d like to pass the wisdom on to anyone with creative inclinations. Always anxious to share her knowledge, Marijke teaches workshops in her studio. She is also available on location. She will be teaching a 5-day workshop in Australia in 2015. Visit http:// www.art2wearblog.blogspot.com to learn more about Marijke and see more of her textile creations. Marijke van Welzen and her art pieces have a story to tell.