American textile artist Cameron Taylor-Brown’s mood-inspiring pieces are often grounded in weaving and feature a range of textile techniques. Images, pattern or threads are layered in muted tones that draw you in. “My intent is to create visually ambiguous imagery that invites close observation by the viewer.”

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

My early childhood was spent on our family ranch in the San Joaquin Valley of California, followed by a move to Cayucos, a small beach town on the Central Coast of California. As an adult, I moved to the big city – I’ve lived in Los Angeles, California, since 1985. 

What is your background in textiles?

I was introduced to textiles by Ed Rossbach at the University of California, Berkeley, and later received a B.S. in Textile Design from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science.

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

It is magical to start with bits of thread and create something complex and satisfying where nothing existed before. I love the materiality of it, and how textiles reveal and express stories of humanity going way back in time. The language of cloth is special to me.

You seem to use a lot of techniques, is weaving your main technique or does it depend on the piece?

Weaving is my deep and broad area of textile knowledge and I love the entire process – building a composition one thread at a time. I am most satisfied with the outcome when weaving is included in my artwork, but it is rarely the only technique I use in a piece.

How do you describe your work?

My earlier work was an exploration of pattern, texture and colour – diving into the possibilities of what woven structures could become. Later I shifted to thematic ideas, which I express with a variety of textile techniques. My more recent works, some of which are seen here, contain images that begin as photographs, are printed onto cloth, woven as weft into a larger textile, and then layered and stitched. My intent is to create visually ambiguous imagery that invites close observation by the viewer.

How do you create a piece?

I collage, sketch, make yarn wrappings and construct small samples to develop my ideas. Then I design a warp that is flexible enough to allow for continued experimentation. If I’m making something that involves the layering of imagery, I pin various possibilities onto the surface of the piece and see where that takes me. 

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

I decided many years ago not to keep a time sheet. Let’s just say that textile processes are time consuming. 

As well as being an artist you are a consultant and educator? Can you tell me more about this?

I embrace being a hyphenate – all parts of my professional life enhance and energize the whole. I was a full-time faculty member at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science earlier in my career, where I began to develop my artistic voice and curated my first exhibit, Artist as Designer, Designer as Artist.  When my husband and I returned to California, I pivoted to providing independent lectures and workshops – throughout the United States and more recently at ARTSgarage, my teaching studio here in Los Angeles. My consulting takes many forms. I had a long career as a regional representative in the yarn industry, where I worked with retailers as they planned their purchases for the upcoming season. I also partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District on a series of charter school grants that created arts integration teaching models for the classroom. More recently, I was the guest curator at the Craft in America Center for the exhibition Material Meaning: A Living Legacy of Anni Albers.  I also serve on the advisory boards of Textile Arts Los Angeles and the Fowler Textile Council.

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

That I embrace growth and continue to take on new creative challenges. And that I speak up for textiles as an important medium of artistic expression, requiring specific skills that take commitment and time to master.

Do you have any advice for aspiring textile artists?

Carve out studio time for yourself on a regular basis and keep at it. Join a juried group that exhibits together or start a group if none exists in your area. When I was juggling a day job and raising a family, my textile group gave me a place to talk with others about our shared textile passions and provided deadlines for work to be completed. 

www.CameronTaylor-Brown.com

www.ARTSgaragela.com

 https://www.instagram.com/camerontaylorbrown