Nike Schroeder was born in Hamburg, Germany and after many stops around the world, she settled in Los Angeles in 2012.
She now lives in Echo Park with her wife, her two cats and three chickens. When she is not in her Downtown studio, you can find her digging in her garden, trying out new recipes in the kitchen or exploring trails in and around LA.
She travels frequently to Europe to visit family and friends.
Also, she is obsessed with ceramics, furniture and her dream is to have goats one day.
Tell us a bit about the process involved in creating your wall hangings
The biggest process was to figure out the actual process of the pieces. It took years of trial and error and
Out of all the works you’ve created do you have a favourite? can you tell us about it?
I actually really don’t. A piece that I still hold very close to my heart is one of the first ones I had made called 34°North 118°West [below] for the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster, CA in 2013. I look at this piece as my breakthrough piece. Kind of like the mother to all pieces to come after that.
Are viewers invited to touch your works? The hanging threads are so inviting!
Oh I know!
People love to touch it! As inviting as it is I prefer the work not to be touched, so dirt/grease doesn’t get on the threads. Its not like you can throw it in a washing mashine…..
How do you choose your colour combinations?
When I first started I was very inspired by the California light, especially the desert sunsets. The visual translation was quite literal in the beginning.
Now my combinations are mostly evoked by feelings. I find it fascinating to convert emotions to a colour scheme and learn about the universal language of how certain colours are associated with certain emotional notions across the globe.
I think part of the elegance of your work is its simplicity. Something that I think a lot of artists (myself included) have difficulty with is simplifying forms, not overcomplicating things, knowing where to stop. Do you agree? and how do you know when to stop?
Yes I agree. The journey was the hardest part – to slowly eliminate every unneeded aspect to simplify and strip the work to its core. This course of almost painful action made it come to be what it is.
I first started with figurative content with just the end bits of the thread hanging off. The more I worked, the more I noticed that to me the most intriguing part was what was falling off the canvas. So I started to minimalize more and more, literally having the piece happen off the canvas.
The pieces are planned before I start, so I don’t need to decide when to stop.
What message do you hope to communicate through your work?
I hope my work evokes the association of something simply beautiful, light and ethereal. I hope for the work to create a quiet and calm space, where heavy thoughts can be forgotten and peaceful energy can be conjured. I am very humbled when people pause and get lost in the colors and the movement.
Is there a feminist element to your work?
I believe that being a woman in the fine art world inherits a feminist element in itself. Especially with embroidery which is associated with domesticity. By trying to move this craft into a contemporary new context, the hope is to shine a new light onto the female affiliation of these very core and valuable artistries and have them gain the appreciation they deserve.
Did you always know you wanted to be an artist? – did you have other jobs along the way?
Deep down I knew. I took a few side streets but always came back to the main road. I do work in the entertainment and photo industry as well, but my work remains related to either textiles or styling. Its nice to have a bit of variety in my everyday life, since I am too shy to teach.
Do you ever have any periods of creative block?
Definitely. Especially with the pressure of conceptualizing a new solo show. Sometimes it is very hard to just keep going.
The fashion industry is coming up against a lot of criticism at the moment because of its negative environmental impact. As a textile artist using rayon, is this something you think about in your own work?
I try to be very conscientious about what I wear. I definately do not own any polyester and avoid fast fashion. I do what I can there. Rayon is a natural fiber and it is important to me that it is biodegradable and does not leave a huge impact.
Fibre art in its many forms seems to be having a renaissance right now – What do you think it is about this medium that seems to be speaking to people at this particular moment in time?
I think there is a collective consciousness that is trying to step back from digital devices and slow down in general. Creating fiber art usually requires a lot of focus and consumes a lot of time. It is a great way to take a break from moving fast and multitasking. It provokes an archaic feeling of joy to make something with your hands and end up with a beautiful result that is haptic.
And finally, where can we see your art?
I am repped by a few galleries. My main dealer is Walter Maciel Gallery in Los Angeles and I am slowly starting to work on my solo show planned for February 2020. Until then I am part of this year’s Address Assembly in Vancouver in September and a few other group shows. Best way to stay in touch is through my social media channels. I’ll keep everyone updated there about upcoming shows.
Stay tuned and sign up for my mailing list on my website.
Find Nike Schroeder on Instagram here.
Check out the articles below for more Q&A interviews with inspirational fibre artists like Nike Schroeder.
If you enjoyed this interview with fibre artist Nike Schroeder, take a look at the following books which feature her work.
These are affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase on my recommendation, a small percentage of the sale will go to The Fiber Studio, which helps keep the blog running (with no extra cost to you!).
You must be logged in to post a comment.