Artist: Noelle Hamlyn
Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Interview 101: Noelle exhibited in the 2012 World of Threads Festival exhibition Interlace, deconstruct, the spaces in between at Telephone Booth Gallery, Toronto.
Subscribe to Artist Interviews here...
Interviews published by Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.
Biography
Noelle Hamlyn is a graduate of Sheridan College School of Crafts and Design (Textiles, 2007), and School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2009). Her work has represented Canada at the International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, South Korea and the Love Lace International Lace Competition at the Power House Museum, Sydney, Australia. In 2013 Hamlyn was invited to create work for the Biennale Internationale Du Lin de Portneuf, Quebec; in 2010 her work was selected as part of the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Garnering critical praise, Hamlyn's installation and studio practice has been recognized by numerous awards and support from the Ontario Arts Council, Mississauga Arts Council, Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, and the Mississippi Mills Textile Museum. Her work is held in permanent collections at the Cambridge Art Gallery, Peel Board of Education, Japanese Paper Place, City of Mississauga Culture Division and Cleveland University Hospitals. This year she has shown both solo and group shows at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. This fall, her work will be shown in Japan alongside a select group of Canadian artists exploring the possibilities of Japanese paper.
Hamlyn is currently an Artist in Residence at the Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, and has completed residencies at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, and the Contemporary Textile Co-Op, Toronto. She is Co-Artistic Director of Frog and Hand – an interdisciplinary collective of performance artists recently creating work shown at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Noelle's website.
 |
Artist: Noelle Hamlyn. |
Tell us about your work?
Both process and outcome are essential qualities in my practice. I seek balance between conceptual ideas, technical execution and emotional timbre. Using texture to evoke imagery, I work to understand the relationship between materials and process; to reveal the relationship between haptic sensation and emotional resonance and to explore the capacity of objects to elicit deeply held narratives.
I work with traditional spinning, smocking, embroidery, weaving and papermaking but use these processes in contemporary and non-traditional ways and forms. For example, I am currently exposing my handwork, embroidery and hand spun paper to salt brines in an attempt to 'preserve' both time and effort. Salt and textiles are not easy allies. Their conflicting properties demand attention to process and technique, but the outcome exposes the interaction between the object and the effort invested in its creation. Coaxing the growth of salt crystals along a hand spun thread seems to echo the accumulation of stitches, labour and hours as if a gentle meditation on the loss of these skills and the underappreciated nature of women's work - the tears of unrecognized hands. Themes of labour, time, memory, gender, relationships, oppression, manual and automated work, global economies, community and change have emerged in the salted, cast, spun and woven forms created. Evocative of pain and sweat, with a deep history of currency and trade, or as a tool for preservation, salt has increased my awareness of the conundrum of attaching 'value'. Salting traditional handwork renders the work devoid of its original function, exposing its aesthetic integrity and revealing the 'fine art' in craft.
 |
Colonial Tea Jacket II, silk and cotton free-motion embroidery on tea bags. 112 cm x 112 cm framed, 2010. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
 |
Colonial Tea Jacket I, cotton free-motion embroidery on tea bags. 112 cm x 122 cm framed, 2009. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
From where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from several sources… it is interesting to me that I am often inspired by the process of making… the process and the 'feel' of the work is often where and how I begin. Of course, history, films, fashion, books and other artists all inspire me… and of course my sense of touch. Lately I am inspired by labour practices – both historical and contemporary. This ranges from the industrialization and subsequent decline of handcraft, to current labour practices such as sweatshop labour. Although I am not sure this is inspiration as much as it is outrage and the need to speak to injustice. I have also been inspired by both of my grandmothers – who were wonderful artists… neither recognized for their skill, talent and ability to creatively problem solve. Again, this inspiration has taken a socio political curve as I am currently considering the gender bias that often separates fine art from fine craft; and the lack of recognition of traditional practices, which still seem to be seen as 'women's work'.
 |
Sanctuary, hand woven triple cloth of hand spun wool, hand dyed gampi tissue with written personal narrative (see detail), 260 cm x 455 cm, 2009. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
 |
Detail: Sanctuary, hand woven triple cloth of hand spun wool, hand dyed gampi tissue with written personal narrative. 260 cm x 455 cm, 2009. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
Why did you choose to go into fibre art and how did you decide on this medium?
Oh, where to begin with my early creative life. I grew up in a very creative household. My parents are both very artistic, and my sister is a contemporary dancer. My parents would help with school plays and come into the classroom to teach drawing. When I was little, we would spend Sundays at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), and over the years we have developed a family tradition of carving 120 pound pumpkins for Hallowe'en; so making and creating in the everyday was regular practice in my house growing up. As for textile specific inspiration, I wore out my security blanket and stuffed animals - rubbing them threadbare. My mum jokes that it was only natural for me to pursue textile related work. I looked for security in my sense of touch. I was very lucky to grow up with and know both my grandmothers. When we spent time together we always had a project; sometimes it was book binding, or doll making, sometimes it was making blankets or clothing.
My grandmothers taught me to sew, knit and smock. To this day, when I have technical questions about a project, I call my Grandmother. I was very fortunate to attend Cawthra Park Regional Arts Program in Mississauga, Ontario, where I was challenged by Don Ball to think critically about the creative process and challenge the traditional definition of art. When I graduated, I understood the importance of process, but was frustrated, as I did not feel I had the technique with which to execute my ideas. I was accepted into the Textile program at Sheridan's School of Craft and Design. There I studied with Rachel McHenry, Joy Walker, Dorie Millerson, Peggy Mersereau and Susan Warner Keene. I chose Textiles because of my fascination with touch, and the fact that I felt touch was such a rich, but often unexplored sense. At Sheridan I was challenged by the faculty to integrate thinking and making. With this foundation I was accepted to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The SAIC program was interesting, in that the Fibre program was very small, but allowed for a more interdisciplinary practice. I blended fashion, sculpture and fibre work in Chicago, but again was very fortunate to learn methods such as spinning and weaving under the tutelage of Christy Matson, Sarah Wagner, Surabhi Ghosh, Karen Reimer, Amy Honchell and Anne Wilson. How could one not pursue further study and work in fibre arts after watching and learning from these artists?
 |
Alter Ego, hand woven monofilament and cotton,130 cm x 650 cm, 2009. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
 |
Detail: Alter Ego, hand woven monofilament and cotton. 130 cm x 650 cm, 2009. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
What other mediums do you work in, and how does this inform your fibre work?
There are several aspects to my practice; I think this is the reality for many practicing artists. I have a more retail oriented practice, creating and selling at various shows and sales including the One of A Kind Show. This work often 'pays the rent'. I view it as an essential way not only to stay alive financially, but also to explore new methods and techniques, and to challenge myself as it is often difficult to create quality work at an affordable price point! Production practices, multiples and quality control play a big role in this work. In addition to this work, I create large-scale installation / sculptural pieces such as my salted installation Spinning Jenny at the Biennale Internationale du Lin de Portneuf in Deschambault-Grondines, Quebec, Sweetness of the Work at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, and Breathing Room - part of Come Up to My Room at the Gladstone Hotel, Toronto. I am also the Co-Artistic Director of Frog in Hand Productions – a company I began with my sister Colleen Snell. We create 'dance theatre' pieces for unusual places such as fields, street corners, public squares and art galleries. I am responsible for the Visual Design – such as Costumes and Sets. I 'set the mood' visually and work to support the actors and dancers to become more aware of the visual impact of their presence.
How do these mediums inform my fibre work? Technically – my production work keeps me on my toes. It is important to me that my work is of, and demonstrates quality. Attention to detail in the execution of my fibre work is important. My installation work informs my fibre work in that I am now not afraid to work on a variety of scales from very tiny to complete rooms. This installation work has also had a great impact on my understanding of fibre itself. When I first began my practice I realized my understanding of 'fibre' was limited; now I work with rust, salt, wood, paper, water… this is a direct result of my installation work. Current themes of handwork and labour could come from my production work. And my work in theatre and performance is just beginning to open new vistas to my practice and often combines installation and production work. Again there is a technical impact… this summer I worked with heavy linen to create a massive skirt with huge open pleats … a costume that had to be worn by a dancer. The relationship between form and function is becoming more important to me as a result. I am becoming more aware of 'impact', of the visual impact of a work. I am aware of the incredible potential of collaborative ventures. Over the summer I spent time in the dance studio working with company performers. A new place for me! I am beginning to realize the richness of collaborative process and practice. My collaborative work Wall created with Frog in Hand for the Art Gallery of Mississauga is an example of all these different practices coming together in one piece.
 |
The Breathing Room, cotton free-motion embroidery on gampi tissue, Room Installation, 2010. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
 |
Detail: The Breathing Room, cotton free-motion embroidery on gampi tissue. Room Installation, 2010. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
What specific historic artists have influenced your work?
I am very inspired by the work of former Montreal based artist Betty Goodwin. I love the way she captures and elicits emotion in her work. She worked from a very personal place, yet is able to connect with broader audiences and themes. Goodwin seems to understand what research now calls our haptic sense … our ability to 'know' how something would feel IF we were to touch it; to anticipate and to 'know' touch through our eyes. Goodwin's prints of her father's vests, the packaging from clothing, and her tarpaulins still have incredible impact on me; to me they epitomize the knowing hand – embodied knowledge that transcends language.
World of Threads Suggests: |
 |
A Complicated Kindness, silk free-motion embroidery on gampi lace, 215 cm tall, 2011. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
What specific contemporary artists have influenced your work?
I am very inspired by the work of Janet Cardiff and her partner George Bures Miller. Cardiff is a Canadian who creates environments that trigger emotions. They are full experiences. I love the way they play with space and narrative. I believe my interest in installation work owes much to the work of Cardiff.
In quite another way the work of Mike Kelly has quite an impact on me. I was initially upset by Kelly's entry into contemporary galleries; his 1980's crochet and doll work was considered avant garde. I was conflicted as my question was, and remains, "why did it/does it take the signature of a male contemporary artist to open the door of a contemporary gallery to craft and fibre work"? I felt culturally appropriated … his work was a call to arms for me. Much in the same way I responded to the work of Judy Chicago. Wonderful imagery, incredible conceptual possibilities, but in all the greatness the hands of the makers seem to have been hidden.
World of Threads Suggests: |
 |
Detail: A Complicated Kindness, silk free-motion embroidery on gampi lace, 215 cm tall, 2011. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
What other fibre artists are you interested in?
I admire the work of Alexander McQueen – he manipulated fabric with amazing skill and understanding, and used unconventional materials to great effect… Materials you would not really think about using in clothing – things like wood laminate, hundreds and hundreds of feathers combined to make fabric, and shells; again repeated over and over again to create 'fabric'. Perhaps my current considerations about form and function are finding inspiration in McQueen's work.
I am also taken by the work of many of my professors from Sheridan and SAIC. Many are pushing the boundaries of contemporary fibre work – taking traditional skills, techniques and practices and pushing them in new and contemporary directions… playing with scale, materials and digitization.
World of Threads Suggests: |
 |
Expressions of the Incomprehensible – Elizabeth, free-motion embroidery on pattern tissue, with selective burning, 115 cm tall. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
Tell us about your training, how it has influenced you and how you have applied what you have learnt.
My training has had a direct influence on my work. As I indicated earlier, I began my training in a high school program for the arts. I learned the value of documentation and the need for quality ideas … that the work could evoke ideas, thoughts, and elicit emotions. After studying at Sheridan, I learned the importance of technique… that it was not enough to just have a good idea, or a concept. If all I was concerned about was a concept, why did I need to be a fibre artist? I could be a writer and use words to explain my concept and challenge others to think and feel. Working in the Sheridan studios inspired me to think about more than just the idea of the work. I found my hands at Sheridan. And then at SAIC I was challenged to connect the dots, to put the ideas and the technique together, to connect my hands and my head. The application? Quality of ideas and quality of craftsmanship is very important to me and I am often as intrigued with the 'how to create' just as much as the 'what to create' or the 'concept'.
 |
Detail: Traces, silk free-motion embroidery on gampi tissue, with selective burning, 112 cm x 112 cm framed, 2010. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
Please explain how you developed your own style and how do you describe your art to people?
This is a big question! I am not sure I have the words to explain how I developed my own style. Indeed I am not sure I can give words to describe my style! When I listen to people engaging with my work, they often comment on being surprised that I am as young as I am; as if my hands should be older! I think my work is contemporary but my style is 'old fashioned'; I care about the finishing and the detail. I am not comfortable with 'messy'. This sense developed directly from my grandmother mentors. For my grandmothers, the 'backside' of the work was where you judged the skill of the maker. My style is also almost always devoid of 'colour'. I think this aspect of my style evolved from my choice of materials, and perhaps also from my own initial lack of confidence. I am a quiet person. I love colour, but have not found the materials with which I can confidently explore its potential. And my style usually involves the depiction of solitary objects, solitary figures, or the repetition of one object. I am quiet and perhaps not always comfortable with the fast pace of the virtual world of social media. I am an observer – I think there is a sense of aloneness that emerges sometimes in my work.
How do I describe my work to people? It is interesting that many people want to know 'how do you make your work?" They ask about the process, and often express surprise that my work is made of paper, or salt, or simple thread embroidery… All techniques that take a great deal of time. When I explain my work, people often look at it anew. I recall a piece I create entitled A Complicated Kindness. It is a real size white gown designed and created from small torn pieces of silk and thread embroidered together. The white pieces of silk and cotton become more and more open as the gown reaches the mid point, gradually breaking down entirely. I listened to many viewers who initially thought I had taken an antique wedding gown and simply framed it. I was fascinated by their surprise when I invited them to step closer and examine the work. I created a series of Christening Gowns made of paper. These gowns were embroidered and smocked. Again, many people thought I had framed antique Christening gowns. The second look, surprise and sometimes disbelief voiced when people discover the detail of my work, informs me. I enjoy hearing how people feel when they see my work, what they think about, or if memories are triggered. We often then chat about handwork, or share stories.
 |
Ceremony, cotton free-motion embroidery on gampi tissue with hand smocking, variable, 2011. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
 |
Ceremony (smocking detail), cotton free-motion embroidery on gampi tissue with hand smocking., Single garment 112 cm, 2011. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
What role do you think fibre art plays in contemporary art and what do you see as the biggest challenge facing fibre artists?
I wish fibre art played a bigger role in contemporary art. I think touch, and our haptic sense is often overwhelmed by the current infatuation with audio and visual sensory input and output. Fibre art practice brings incredible potential to the virtual world; both in terms of providing respite from virtual, but also in our understanding of the human haptic response.
Sadly there still seem to be gender biases that challenge fibre art practice. So sad! I am inspired by artists who work with fibre and texture. I believe fibre artists can challenge contemporary galleries to re-consider their walls. Certainly we see a recognition of this in the rise of performance art in contemporary practice, but there is so much more. There are many barriers that still remain. I recently purchased an exquisite work of art. It is beautifully proportioned; the form is very sculptural. The hand smocking and pleating on the piece is incredible, and the work tells such a story. The work sits in my home… it was created by an older woman who is a resident of Northern Newfoundland. The work is in fact a pair of skin boots. The challenge is why these boots are not considered contemporary art. Why the maker will never have a show in any contemporary gallery. This is our challenge. Beauty, haunting narratives, evocative texture, touch, time, and context … this could be the contemporary contribution of fibre practice.
 |
Exoskeleton, gampi tissue and cotton free-motion embroidered gampi lace, variable, 2010. Photo: Yuri Dojc. |
Can you talk a bit about the commercial viability of fibre art?
That's a tough one. Textile and fibre work is commercially viable; but its definition sometimes limits its viability. I do not think many gallerists understand fibre work. Thankfully this is changing. I have been very fortunate to work Sharlene Rankin, owner and curator of Telephone Booth Gallery. Sharlene understands fibre work, but she has to work very, very hard to educate a wider audience. I think old gender biases sometimes limit commercial viability. This is sad and frustrating. I also worry in this age of technology, change and speed, that the time required to make fibre work is not often understood or valued. An idea can take but a moment to create; yet handwork can take years to create. At the time of making, it becomes infused with a richness and a context. It seems to absorb the story of the maker. As a fibre artist, I am beginning to consider my own responsibility to educate 'the public' in order to open more commercial opportunities. I think we need to be careful in the language we chose to describe our work, to be precise in our use of the words art and craft – fine art and fine craft? I think we need to celebrate the hands of the makers as artists with equal access to gallery space and show opportunities. At the end of the day though, commercial viability is a question of what we value. If as a culture we value time, creative process and authenticity, then fibre work will sell.
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
You did a Studio Residency in Ireland. Tell us about the experience.
Yes! What a wonderful experience. I was on the West Coast of Ireland at the Burren College of Art. I found myself inspired by the barren Burren landscape – there were rolling hills behind my home and studio that were completely bare. I would often walk the hills and marvel at the plants struggling to grow in the cracks and crevices of the rocks – the only place where there was any soil to allow them to grow. In these rocks and crevices there were often nests. As there were no trees for the birds, they would have to make do with the cracks in the rocks. I began looking at nests and the materials used in the construction of nest. I started weaving delicate nests from hand spun paper thread and materials found in the hills and along the beaches and coasts. As I wandered, I began exploring house ruins and remains that dotted the town. I started making connections between the nests I saw in the hills and the ruins of houses. My final body of work was a series of woven nests within the larger context of an installation in an abandoned house. On one of my walks I met a local wool merchant. He explained the process of wool from shearing and beyond and then generously gave me sheep fleece. He explained that wool was used as insulation in the local homes prior to the invention of fiberglass insulation. Using the fleece I was given, I washed and cleaned the wool then insulated the abandoned house; a metaphor that began with the discovery of the tiny nests built into the crevices in the Burren. We work with fibre – whether it be weaving, spinning or shearing – in order to create warmth and to sustain our security. As the majority of other artists in residence worked in media, they challenged me further. The final outcome of my Burren residence was a series of large format digital photographs documenting the installation.
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
If you reflect on your career as a fibre artist, what achievement are you most proud of?
I have been very fortunate. My work has travelled and I have been able to go along for the journey. My work has opened doors and introduced me to people I now call colleagues in Australia, Korea, Vancouver, Ottawa, Ireland, Chicago, Montreal and Quebec City. This achievement is one of communication and relationship building. My work has made this possible!
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn. |
Tell us about your studio and how you work:
I am currently an Artist in Residence at the Living Arts Centre (LAC) in Mississauga, Ontario. I share the textile studio with three other artists – Karen Krupa, Melodie Flook, and Cathy Griggs. We have a large communal space for large-scale projects and teaching, and equipment for silk screening, dyeing and sewing. We each have our own smaller studio pods located within the larger space. It is wonderful to have a space where I can work alone but not feel isolated. I think if left to my own devices I could become quite a recluse, as my work is so labour intensive. There is so much support at LAC – opportunities for teaching, for conversation and for other projects, while at the same time there is a respect for time and contemplation,
How do I work? In creating both my installation and my more traditional fibre work I most often begin by sampling. I keep detailed notes about the process and vary my methods slowly. From these studies, themes and conceptual context often emerge. I find a technique and process worthy of exploration and use that as my starting point to develop and nurture the possibilities. Once the concept is figured out, I then go back to tweak the processes and materials so they fit and inform the concept. It is interesting for me to answer this question, as it makes me aware that I work backwards and forwards – that my process and the outcome are transactional; sort of like praxis – I seek to integrate theory with practice in my process.
 |
Sweetness of the Work, salt and paper encrusted singer sewing machine from 1901; cotton embroidery and hand spun linen paper thread over 100 hand made bobbins, 380 cm x 360 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
 |
Sweetness of the Work, salt and paper encrusted singer sewing machine from 1901; cotton embroidery and hand spun linen paper thread over 100 hand made bobbins, 380 cm x 360 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
 |
Sweetness of the Work, salt and paper encrusted singer sewing machine from 1901; cotton embroidery and hand spun linen paper thread over 100 hand made bobbins, 380 cm x 360 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
What interests you about the World of Threads festival?
I love the ongoing dialogue that has been created around the theme of fibre and textiles. I love discovering new artists - seeing their approaches to materials, processes techniques and concepts. It also makes me feel connected to the larger world of fibre practice. I am interested in the identity emerging through the Worlds of Threads Festival; who are we and how we choose to be represented and to represent ourselves and our work. I am interested in our use of language – what words do we use to describe our work? And I am interested in who is reading, thinking and writing about fibre work. The World of Threads Festival has helped me to realize that it is not as big a field as one may think!
 |
Spinning Jenny, salt and paper encrusted spinning wheel, 400 industrial bobbins filled with hand spun linen paper thread and encrusted with salt; hand built pine and hemlock shelves, 549 cm x 762 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
 |
Detail: Sweetness of the Work, salt and paper encrusted singer sewing machine from 1901; cotton embroidery and hand spun linen paper thread over 100 hand made bobbins, 380 cm x 360 cm (room), 2013. Photo: Noelle Hamlyn |
If you'd like to make a donation to help support our
"Weekly Fibre Artist Interviews" series, you can do so here.
Subscribe To Artist Interviews here...
Interviews published by Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.
Disclosure: This article incorporates 'affiliate links' to Amazon.com
Thanks for your support. Click here to shop at Amazon.com