By Paisley Huang
Boston University News Service
On Maryellen Cahill’s desk lay two pieces of white cotton fabric. She has been working on these projects for a while, arranging dark and light blue denim circles and folding intricate pleats as decorations. But she hasn’t decided what the final design will be.
“Every once in a while, I’ll look at it and see if I figure out what I want to do next,” Cahill said.
With a full-time job in the clothing industry, Cahill usually spends her weekends creating fiber art works in her East Boston studio as a “side job,” she said. This November, she showcased her works at Harboring Creativity, an exhibition featuring East Boston local artists.
According to the online art platform ATX Fine Arts, fiber art consists of natural or synthetic fibers such as cotton, linen and yarn. Its forms range from practical objects to decorative items that prioritize aesthetic value.
Fiber art has been popular in museums and gallery shows in recent years, and the public has started to recognize it as a valid art medium, rather than craft, Cahill said.
Growing up in a family of artists, as both her mother and sister are painters, Cahill described her family as a “big inspiration.” As a child, she would play with a large bin of arts and crafts supplies at home and “create something out of them” when she got bored. Her grandma used to make dolls from old clothes, which also inspired Cahill’s creation. Now, at the age of 58, Cahill just rented her own studio a year ago.
“You grow out of your space very quickly when you start to accumulate fabric and beads,” Cahill said.
Cahill enjoyed collecting non-typical fiber art materials during her trips to visit clothing factories in Asia. Her materials ranged from newspapers to magazine clippings, which reminded Cahill of the countries she has visited.
She said her trips to China inspired her to stitch and weave gold-colored paper money, an offering to ancestors in Chinese folk belief.
Cahill’s collection also includes upcycled materials. For example, she commonly uses abandoned jeans, gathered from her and her friends’ wardrobes, and uses them to make denim coasters and doll outfits.
Working in an industry such as the fashion industry, which constantly triggers overconsumption, is conflicting, Cahill said. But, she believes fiber art can inspire sustainability when people see potential in recycled waste materials for art.
Cahill said she appreciates having a space at Atlantic Works Gallery. Over 20 artist members manage the space collectively, with each having their own room within the building, according to the gallery’s website.
She described the community of East Boston artists as supportive and “not competitive at all.” When she felt stuck in her unfinished projects, she merely had to walk down the hall, and she could exchange ideas with other artists, Cahill said.
Though balancing a full-time job and art is challenging, Cahill said her career financially supports her art, and she finds art “meditative and calming” when work is overwhelming.
“Don’t be discouraged if you can’t make a living on your art right away,” she said, encouraging young artists to balance their pursuits with practical strategies. “I believe everybody has creativity in them.”
