weaving
Ria Lucey
Where did you grow up?
Born and bred in Hackney, East London. I grew up between Islington & Hackney. Studied in Manchester and now currently residing and making in Berlin.
What drew you to weaving? Were there any weavers or other artists that were early inspirations for you?
I’ve always had a pull towards textiles and crafts from a young age, my mum is a great knitter, but it was at art school that I needed to know more about weaving. I loved watching the final year weavers, it was as if they were part of a secret I had to know. I would stay late or arrive earlier to make sure I could develop a sample on the loom I worked on the previous day. Etel Adnan’s show at the Serpentine Gallery (2016) was also very influential.
There were large tapestry pieces, and they gave the impression of markers overlapping and bleeding into the fabric. I love the imitation of materials through techniques. It’s something that looks so in the moment but requires a lot of thinking.
What is the process and the thinking behind your designs?
Material is really important. I just like seeing the capabilities and limitations of a certain yarn, in the weft or warp. It’s all about learning and the process. Sometimes I’ll find yarn, fall in love, and then it’s a disaster as a warp so you have to rejig and work around it. I like my work to have its own narrative, but I will usually build a colour palette and have yarns I want to work with. For me, it's more focusing on repetition, that way you can very quickly weave meters in your head. I’ll allocate a certain number of colours, do a few tests to see how they all work together, and then go for it.
The execution of your work is extraordinary. Can you share your thoughts on how important is time in developing such great details and quality into your pieces?
Thank you! I’m an overthinker and want things to be ‘perfect’ from the go, but that always makes the process rigid if you believe there is a right and wrong. There are so many contributors in weaving: colour, structure, material… sometimes it’s best to go simple. It’s always gratifying when you see what can be achieved by adding a line of colour every few picks or finding a repeat pattern by combining a few structures. Letting the material lead has always worked for me and then you develop on that. I think it’s more about the state of mind over time and that can be tough when you have deadlines etc.
What is your favorite yarn to work with?
I’m a sucker for fine yarns, cotton, or silks, especially for the clean finish. I love the challenge, patience, and awareness you develop. You become so conscious of your grip, tension, and movements. Different fibres demand different attention and it’s fun learning about that. Linen is my favourite challenge at the moment, there’s so much to learn about it on and off the loom.
You mentioned on your website that your "practice is rooted in being conscious of material, locality & tradition." Can you share your thoughts on that?
Where to begin! I love learning. Learning the story of a material: how it’s made, its place in history and societies and just learning about things not necessarily related to yarn but might inspire the design process. Locality is very important on a personal level. There’s a great talk called, ‘don’t ask me where I’m from, ask me where I’m local’ – Taiye Selasi, and I found so much peace in the sentiment. I don’t care much for ‘made in…’ if that’s where the story begins and ends. I’d prefer a detail that doesn’t feel so close, but distant, clear, but ambiguous all at the same time. Made in this neighbourhood, by this family, with these hands etc.
Tradition simply because not a lot has changed in the practice of weaving. Different cultures will have their tools and techniques, but at the end, it still has the same result; threads passing over and under each other. It is something that can be passed on without words and we rely on the past so heavily and rightfully so, there are so many interesting techniques/practices we’ve abandoned and it’s a shame.
How can we better reclaim traditions and skills while honoring the people and processes behind them?
Working with natural materials such as wool and linen is very important. Feeling, touching and smelling these materials contribute to my well being. It’s not for everyone and that’s ok, but I do think it’s important that the information is out there and shared. Time is very precious today so it can be challenging explaining the time it takes to weave, especially working with looms that aren’t digital, but I think the best is to share. I was able to show my godson my loom, and my weaving, and being able to show him how a single yarn comes together to make his clothes is a special moment. Hopefully, that will now be more normal to him. It’s easy to separate ourselves from materials and objects.
Who made your clothes, or picked your food? It is all distant, not only by location but from our consciousnesses. I grew up in a fast-paced city so I’m still learning and practicing having an open mind and more curiosity about the things we surround ourselves with.I live in the countryside (Aubusson is a very small town with a very easy access to nature) and being surrounded by natural materials in my studio creates a link between the outside and the inside, a connection and a continuity.
What sort of consistent choices do you take in order to create a positive impact through your craft?
Making connections through weaving. When I can offer friends and family something I made it feels good and again, it continues this dialogue of sharing the information. I think most weavers also look for ways to utilise what’s already here, so by using deadstock yarns or recycling other materials. It’s all about moderation. I am really trying to find a balance in producing. It’s a difficult process when you want to create and sell but you also have to be mindful of not overproducing.
What upcoming projects make you excited right now?
I’ve been undergoing a self-initiated project since January. Kind of a word association game, allocating techniques and fibres to an image. It’s been great and has given me a ton of ideas that I will be showing soon. I’m also in the early stages of making a piece for a festival in Poland, so that’s fun! Ria´s website and social media All pictures belong to Ria and were taken by Felix Rouaud
