Inspirational keyword: My keyword was “embroidery”. I got to this word by first thinking about my trip back home to Miami last weekend. While home, I was reminded of the fact that the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival (a three-day outdoor event held every Presidents’ Day Weekend celebrating fine arts, live performances, and local flavors in Miami) was going on and decided to go with my boyfriend. He was amazed by this one artist we walked by that specialized in embroidery, which led me to go online and search for other embroidery artists.
Bio: “Hi! My name is Mariana Baertl and I’m the creator and artist behind Living Fibers. I was born and raised in Lima, Peru’s capital, surrounded by the countries’ traditional handmade trades, specially textile work. I studied Fashion Design in Peru and later moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to focus on Coolhunting, the study of “trends” and how it relates specifically to the fashion industry. I then moved to Barcelona, Spain to begin my work in Haute Couture and pattern making. My Haute Couture education taught me the level of patience and precision needed in creating handmade designs. Thereafter I got a post graduate degree in Fashion Business management from Pompeu Fabra University, in Barcelona. As soon as I graduated, I moved back to Lima, Peru to work as a fashion designer for a large retailer in Lima. It was at this company where I started experimenting with textures and textiles. I was soon in love with the art and began making fiber art pieces whenever I could find the time. After several years as a fashion designer, I decided to make a change and immerse myself into the fiber world.” (https://www.livingfibersart.com/bio)
Artist Statement: “Every Living Fibers piece is unique, created with love and a special attention to detail. They are all meticulously hand embroidered and handwoven with fibers and yarns from around the world, particularly with Peruvian natural fibers. I get my aesthetic from all things natural and organic, often inspired by the movement and shapes water and wind create. I favor a pastel and warm color palette with a clear focus on textures and composition, and finish the pieces with intricate embroidery details that add an additional texture to the composition. My preferred fiber is natural cotton, which I hand dye myself.” (https://www.livingfibersart.com/bio)
Featured image source: https://www.livingfibersart.com/bio
