Erin M. Riley is a tapestry artist based out of Brooklyn. Her work focuses on the themes of life. Her medium is hand-woven and hand dyed wool tapestries. She studied fibres and graduated with a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She completed her MA from Tyler School of Art.
SP: In most of your works, you use the medium of wool and cotton, which is very unusual. Tell us more about your choice of medium.
EMR: : I am a tapestry weaver so the work I make is hand woven on a loom using hand dyed wool and a cotton warp. I have been weaving tapestries for 16 years and it has been the only way I feel compelled to create my work. Tapestry is contemplative and meditative, it is challenging and rewarding all at once.
SP: Would you throw some light on the themes that touch your artworks?
EMR: I am constantly working through the themes of life. I touch on sexuality, drug addiction, death and trauma as well as the mundane aspects of life and existing on the internet. I work autobiographically so most of the work is in some way about something that is directly affecting me.
SP: What are some of your inspirations while you were developing your style?
EMR: Early on I was inspired by artists like Kara Walker and Tracey Emin who both worked with confronting imagery and content that gave me the push to address topics that might be controversial. I was also inspired by Louise Bourgeois and Magdalena Abakanowicz who were working in personal narratives and materials that I felt akin to.
SP: We would like to know about your personal history, which includes your background, your educational history as well as your professional journey.
EMR: I grew up in Massachusetts in the United States, from a family who didn’t have much access to art. I was introduced to art in high school and really found my passion for it when I saw the art schools that I could apply for after high school. I went to undergrad for fibers where I learned to weave and went on to graduate school where I again studied fibers. My work has been exhibited internationally and has been published widely. I am a full time artist based in Brooklyn, NY, US and my work is represented by P.P.O.W Gallery in New York, NY, US.
SP: Tell us about your process of making art.
EMR: I start with ideas, lots of ideas and investigating what interests me the most, what I feel is the most imperative to address. If I am working towards a show I usually start with the anchors of the exhibition and work outward from there. Tapestry is a medium that takes a long time so even if I am excited about a piece, if it is particularly challenging or if I haven’t figured out how I want it to turn out, I will skip it for a piece I have examined fully. I dye and prepare any yarn that will be used and then work on a scale drawing that I will weave over throughout the whole process. The work is woven using very traditional methods and materials and then taken off the loom, hemmed, steamed and then it will be ready for exhibition.
Images Courtesy: Erin M. Riley and P.P.O.W Gallery
Find out more about the artist:
https://erinmriley.com/home.html
https://www.ppowgallery.com/artist/erin-m-riley/work
https://www.textileartist.org/erin-m-riley
https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/art/erin-m-riley
