No more procrastinating, let’s get this next project set up.
Hello everyone, it is nice to officially kick things off and “meet” you. This is a long time coming for us. I have been thinking of starting this blog for at least 4 years now but have not known where to even begin. Well, I guess this is the beginning so I should go ahead and introduce myself, my “team”, and why we are here.
Here we go!
Artist/Author/Editor/And More
Laura Daw-Mercado
Hobby Collector Extraordinaire, Laura is the creative vision behind the Myrtle & Robin studio. She has tried so many arts and crafts she can’t count them anymore. With 5 years under her belt as a weaver, spinner, and yarn dyer, it is safe to say that working on textiles in her studio is definitely her happy place. Well, her studio, the beach, and Disneyland of course.
Mascot
Oswald “The Lucky Rabbit”
Oz may be Doxie in looks, but he is Jack Russell Terrier in everything else (well, maybe a little Chihuahua too, but don’t tell him that). Oswald is the beating heart that keeps our studio happy. While usually his preference would be to shred all of the wool in the house, he can be persuaded to just watch the art process (as long as there is a sun spot to lay in, of course).
Engineering/Emotional Support
Mr. Myrtle & Robin
Not one to often be in the spotlight, Mr. Myrtle & Robin is happy to work behind the scenes on Laura’s many hair brained art schemes. His cool head, Disney quotes, and easy puns are invaluable to keeping the show running.
Why Textiles?
I still remember the first time my sister handed a crochet hook to me and taught me how to chain. I can still feel in my gut just how nervous I was the first time my mom taught me to baste her quilt blocks. When I craft, I relive the stories of my mother’s quilting circles and the women that raised me. Each time I pick up something I have made, I feel the connection to that moment in my history. There is something so very special about how the textile crafts our mothers, grandmothers, and aunts did connect us to each other. The pieces that they leave behind are tangible reminders of moments in our histories. The doilies, wash rags, table cloths, and quilts seem mundane on the surface, but in actuality carry the magic of memory. There is an impact in the legacy they leave behind.
Art is a communication method. Ultimately, in my opinion, it is a way that we connect with each other about our lived experiences across class, country, and time. There is an unspoken idea in our society that in order for a craft to be art, it has to have some deeper meaning. What that deeper meaning can be is often already assigned as well. We have come to a place where many people see a divide between the “fine arts” and “handicrafts”.
I often see most textile work, especially the mundane things, relegated to the general “handicraft” category. As a crocheter, knitter, or quilter, how often have you considered yourself an artist? Personally, I fight this a lot too. Even I sometimes argue with myself about whether or not I am truly an artist. But then, what is an artist really? I don’t know that I can answer that. But what I do know is that, for me, the everyday objects that hold the stories of our loved ones are beautiful and carry a connection to what it is to be human. Isn’t that a deep meaning? Wouldn’t that make textiles art? In my opinion, the answer here is yes.
At the end of the day, my art practice is centered on humans. When I make a piece I spend a lot of time thinking about who it is for, how it will be used, and what narrative the piece is telling. My textiles are functional, always, but I also want them to feel grounded, real, and beautiful. Because of this, I draw most of my inspiration from people and stories. Pop Culture is actually one of my favorite places to draw inspiration from. What could be more powerful than the stories we share with each other that are relevant right now? Plus, life is already so serious, why not embrace the things that bring us joy? Why not bring more joy and magic into our every day lives? Life is too unpredictable and short to not embrace the things that make us happy.
What is this Blog?
I have been working with textiles for as long as I can remember. I do not remember a time where I wasn’t helping my mom with her quilts. The first time I crocheted was when I was 5. I started ironing my mom’s seams flat when I was 7 or 8. I began embroidering when I was 10 (spoiler, I am still horrible at it). I learned how to knit when I was 14. And now, I have been seriously weaving, spinning, and dyeing yarn for at least 5 years, give or take some months. To be completely transparent, there was a gap from when I was 19 to when I was 24 where I barely did any textile work. But in the depths of the pandemic, when I needed it most, textile found me again. I found myself again through textiles. For a while now I have wondered, if textiles have made such a difference in my life, is it possible that it could do the same for others?
Education and sharing are near and dear to my heart. I have been a museum educator, a substitute teacher, and an adjunct professor in the past. There is something so amazing about sharing knowledge with people and seeing how they apply it. Even though I do not work in those roles professionally anymore, I want to teach. I want to share about the textile art world! Making this knowledge accessible and removing obstacles preventing others from learning is really important to me. I hope that this blog can help be a step in doing that.
TLDR; We Have Fun Here
Moving forward, what you can see from me are posts about my current projects, fiber adventures my team and I go on, books that I am reading, and break downs of my newest research hyper fixations. If that is something you are interested in, we would be more than happy to welcome you to our community.
Hopefully we will see each other again real soon!
Laura