Deepa Panchamia

What is it about textiles that appeals to you?

I love that there are so many ways you can work with it. There are no rules. You can cut it, fold it, sew it, weave it, pleat it. I feel like I have complete freedom when I work with the material. 

Textiles has always been to me a homey material — it’s soft, delicate and malleable, the ease and convenience of the material and how it’s accessible. It reminds me of my childhood and ancient times of working with hands in the home. I feel connected to the material – it’s a friend, it’s a part of us and our humanity.

How did you learn your techniques?

I did Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University from 2001-2004. It was an Applied Arts degree and we spent the first year experimenting with different materials such as paper, wood, metal, ceramics, glass and textiles. During the second year, I specialised in textiles and paper. We weren’t taught any specific techniques, but were encouraged to develop our own with the materials we had chosen.

How do you describe your work?

Textile sculptures, installations and wearable art — using fabric to create three-dimensional structures. 

Why do you use white?

I love the subtlety and beauty of white translucent fabrics and how it interacts with light. It allows us to see the shadows that form on the surface and to focus on the structural qualities of the sculpture. There are so many shades of white and you can notice the subtle variations in the fabrics weave and texture. 

Do you ever use other colours for your sculptures?

Yes, rarely but sometimes. I’ve used metallic silk organzas early on, so there’s been a hint of golds, coppers and bronzes in some of my earlier sculptures. In 2014, I started using translucent iridescent blacks for some sculptures and wearable art pieces. And since then, I’ve combined reds, oranges, yellows and recently greens, golds and coppers. And next I will work with shades of blue — so I am slowly going through the colour spectrum….

Where are you based and do you have a studio?

I have lived in Fiskars Village since 2012, and have my studio here. Before then I lived in London.

What prompted the move from London to Fiskars Village?

It was a combination of curiosity and opportunity. I had undertaken two artist residencies in Fiskars Village before moving here. I really appreciate living among other artists and being surrounded by nature and living the slower pace of life.

Can you talk us through how you make one of your sculptures please?

I start by exploring the different materials I have decided to work with. I make samples, and find a way to manipulate the fabrics in a way I find interesting and enjoyable. Simultaneously, I draw, sketch and write. I don’t design my sculptures, but use my sketches and thoughts to inspire me and the process guides me. I repeat and repeat a combination of processes, and as the piece grows, I adapt the techniques to how the fabric form evolves. There’s always an element of surprise as I am making, it’s an organic process.

It’s a hard question but how long do they take?

Around three to four months. However some of my works are life-long projects, growing and evolving forever.

What inspires you?

Initially it all stems from shells — their structure, surface and purpose.  And also natural formations, architecture and man-made structures — the complex shapes and forms around me. And then, it becomes about the material  itself, and finding new ways to manipulate fabric — where the process, combined with the structural potential of whatever material I am using, is a game that keeps me going and transfixed.

What advice can you give aspiring textile artists?

Do what you love and what inspires you. Find a process, a technique that you enjoy doing and keep doing it and let it grow and evolve. Enjoy the process and develop the craft. And use that as a form of meditation. Passion, practice, perseverance and patience.