Tag-arkiv: textilejourneys

Visiting Artistic Fellow at the Fiber Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art

Blok, ,

So much has happened during my 5 weeks as visiting artist the Fiber Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art — I met inspiring artists, researchers, and students, and encountered the diverse, complex textures of Detroit. This journey has been both artistically and personally transformative.

☘️☘️ Takeaways ☘️☘️
This residency reminded me of the power of artistic exchange — how dialogue, material exploration, and shared curiosity open new ways of thinking and making. I leave Detroit with a renewed sense of how textiles connect bodies, stories, and communities — and with threads of inspiration that will continue to weave through my practice.



I send my gratitude to the Fiber Department:

Thank you Joey Quiñones –incredible artist-in-residence and head of Fiber– for welcoming me so openly into the department.
To all the students — Tracy Ren, Irene Perez, Ivan Flores, Emily Dormier, Maddie Gordon, Julia LeKander, James Baxter, Ashley Rossi, Brianna Markley, Emily Hunt, Nick Cox, Diane Yu, Ruth Xu Huang and Star Seven — thank you for letting me join your CRITs and for sharing your textile worlds. You have all left a deep impression on me ☘️

I’m deeply grateful to Statens Kunstfond for generously supporting this artistic journey, and to Anders Ruhwald for organizing the residency at Dubois Street and the fellowship at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Last but not least Jose Arenivar-Gomez – director of 3583 Dubois St. and an extraordinary ceramic artist – thank you for being such a generous and caring host — for sharing your space, knowledge, and hospitality.


📷 Encountering the architectural beauty of Cranbrook Academy of Art with Elan Schwarts. Photo by Midge W

Sharing artistic research practice across borders

Blok, , ,

On my USA travels, I have so far had the privilege of engaging with students and colleagues in both artistic and academic contexts.

At Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Christin Essin kindly arranged a wonderful program of professional and social encounters. I had the pleasure of attending several of her storytelling classes, and she also organized a lecture for students and staff, where I unfolded my research on textile listening(s) — for example, how materials, bodies, and collective practices can generate new ways of sensing and knowing together. As part of the lecture, I introduced a few hands-on exercises. In addition, Alexandra Sargent Capps generously invited me to give a co-sampling workshop in her fashion studio-class.


At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Camille Martin-Thomsen, kindly introduced me to her colleagues. Abigail Glaum-Lathbury, at the Fashion Department, arranged a talk for students and faculty from the fiber, fashion, and fiber art departments, where I unfolded my artistic practice. Afterwards, I facilitated a short practice-based workshop, connecting my research with hands-on explorations of textile-relational listening spaces.

I am deeply grateful for the inspiring conversations and the opportunity to share and exchange across disciplines and geographies. Encounters like these are vital — they not only disseminate research, but also expand artistic practice through collective dialogue and experimentation.

I am grateful to Anders Ruhwald and Statens Kunstfond that made this trip possible with a generous grant.