Argentinian textile artist Constanza Villarreal resides in Italy. Her beautiful and poetic art begins life as old fabrics, some are found others are given to her. She then uses a range of techniques including stitch to create layered works ‘highlighting the fragility of life, it’s preciousness and mystery.’

Firstly where did you grow up and where do you live now? 

I was born in Argentina, in a family that was a mix of Italian, Spanish and Swiss immigrants.  Now I live in Rome Italy with my husband and three daughters. 

What is your background in textiles?

I studied Architecture in Argentina, then went on to do drawing, painting and ceramics in Italy on the atelier system. I came to textiles through drawing, without any formal training.  I was exploring the interior aspects of domestic landscape using interior fabrics as a starting point. I was attracted by its quotidianity that made them very approachable and relatable. I treated them with a withe mix that allowed the silverpoint to leave a register on them. I was reversing some of the domestic rituals, by washing and marking to allow the portraits of this intimate space to resurface. This was a decade ago, since then I’ve been constantly surprised by the expressive and poetic possibility of textiles.

What is it about textiles as an art form that appeals to you? 

There is a fragility and resistance coexisting in fabric. I am very experimental in my art process, and manipulating textiles offers infinite potential for trial and error. 

The way fabric can hold the signs of time and presence is also a very attractive aspect and source of interest to me. 

People surprise me by bringing pieces of fabrics that belonged to them or their family that they don’t want to part with. At the same time, because the fabrics are old, stained and fragile, they don’t know exactly what to do with them. The same imperfections that make these fabrics unsuitable for modern life are my starting point.

These fabrics and their markings not only give me a surface to work with but they offer me freedom, from perfection to start with. There is lightness in this freedom and there is beauty in this lightness. It can all be felt in the final work. I didn’t realise this on my own, but through the feedback from visitors during an exhibit, or people that bought my work .This helped me understand how the process affects the final piece, and the experience of it. 

What techniques do you use?

I use drawing, ink washings, embroidery and stitching as another form of drawing. The process has no particular order and the sequence goes back and forth until I feel nothing could be added or removed. If I cannot resolve if to add or remove, I roll it up for a few days or years, until I do.

How do you describe your work?

Let’s say that it is a textile painting that invites touch, slightly disorienting in terms of how exactly it came to be (technically speaking) with a very different experience up close or far away because of the stitching marks. 

How do you create a piece? 

I carry a sketchbook and I sketch all the time. I match fabrics with elements of my visual diaries that I feel belong together in order to convey the feeling, sensation, and concept that I’m trying to express at the moment. It is a very fluid process. 

Your stitching is very minimal. How do you decide which parts of your canvas to embellish?

It is an intuitive response to the the surface and what is happening during the process. It could be intended to accentuate an accident, to balance the general composition, or a repair of a tear that originated the rest of the painting. I use generally one or two stitching styles varying in size with different threads thickness. 

Where do you work? 

I  mainly work at my studio. It is in a cul-de-sac and generally very quiet. Working in silence is a privilege and a refuge from the speed of the everyday. Hand stitching and hand drawing add to the calming of the general working atmosphere. 

It is a former industrial space with high ceilings where I can also explore multiple compositions for installations. Whenever I travel I bring with me materials to work with, ether a sketchbook or rolls of scraps of fabric.

I know this is a hard question but how long does a bigger piece take?

This is hard indeed! It can take up to a month or a few years. Until I feel it is all coming together.  

What are you most proud of in your art career so far?

I would say being able to take risks and explore different mediums until I find something I feel is an authentic voice. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring textile artists?

Things that helped me are the following: find a creative community of generous peers that give and receive constructive criticism. Both in your area and online.

Discover your way of managing time in a sustainable manner to avoid losing the rhythm, and stick with it. Maybe it could be doing a little everyday, or going to an artist residency. I have done a number of residencies and I feel they all helped me mature as an artist.

Don’t be afraid of reaching out to someone you admire in the field and asking for guidance or instruction, or suggesting projects or collaborations. Collaborations outside of our comfort zone can be stimulating and broaden your horizons. 

Share the enthusiasm and joy you feel when you are creating. 

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