Caren Garfen, Wafer Thin, screen print and embroidery on linen
Women, daily life, the use of text and humor in artworks: Caren Garfen is about all the things I like. I met this London artist at Origin – the # 1 British craft fair – last fall. I wrote about her work earlier here.
Caren Garfen has had a long crafts career – she used to specialise in making miniature dolls house samplers – before she went to art school. From then on her career has taken off big time. Caren is fascinated by facts about women’s lives and translates them into wonderfully lighthearted works of art – that carry a serious undertone.She is part of that wonderful group of talented textile artists called the 62 group. I am so glad Caren was willing to do this months’ Artist Interview.
How would you describe the work you do?
I am an artist who uses textiles as the backdrop for putting forward concepts relating to women’s issues in the 21st century. Artworks have included a never-ending ‘tea towel’, ‘textile’ wallpaper, and ‘window blinds’. I use meticulous hand stitch and silkscreen printing to convey my message.
What do you like best about it?
Making things by hand. It is of vital importance to my work. It usually becomes a vital component of the ‘making’ – time taken to create the piece is an essential part of its being. For example, in my new artwork for 2012, ‘Wafer Thin’, which is about women and dieting, there is an echo between the time taken in losing weight and the time taken to sew the piece. The stitching of the borders with a tape measure design and the researched text within that was both time-consuming and tedious, in the same way that dieting is.
Caren Garfen, Wafer Thin (detail), screenprint and embroidery on linen
Do you make sketches or do you start rightaway?
I find a working sketchbook absolutely essential to the process of creating. I am currently on my fourth sketchbook relating to my triptych on dieting. All of my early ideas are written in, the progress of thoughts comes next, then images, inspiration and research, all of which play the important part in documenting the concepts.
It is important to create a piece which is authentic, true to its self. I will have an idea of what I want to achieve and work towards that, but continue to be flexible and allow the concepts to grow.
How do you deal with mistakes?
Being a perfectionist it is quite hard to deal with ‘mistakes’. If it relates to the hand stitching I would normally unpick it. With silkscreen printing it is not quite so easy, especially when you have pigment where you do not want it! If the piece calls for it, I will stitch a ‘label’ over it, or even incorporate the mark by stitching around it!
How did you learn?
I studied for a BA (Hons) Applied Arts in 2007 and changed from a ‘craftsperson’ sewing miniature dolls’ house samplers for adult collectors, into a ‘textile artist’ creating large artworks. I specialised in silkscreen printing and by the end of the degree was using my tiny stitches to create motifs and hand stitched text to complement the work and to emphasise my concepts.
Caren Garfen, Don’t Make A Meal Of It (detail) screenprint and embroidery on linen
Where do your find inspiration?
I am inspired by the media and contemporary issues, including television, magazines, newspaper articles and advertising. Any of these may send me on a course of lengthy research into subjects such as women and work, women and gender stereotyping in advertisements, and currently women and dieting.
Caren Garfen, Don’t Make A Meal Of It, screenprint and embroidery on linen
Want to follow Caren Garfen? She has a Facebook fanpage.
Want to see more of Caren? Watch this video!
You have such great interviews, Kitty! I love Caren’s work ever since you introduced me to it last year. Simply incredible!
Interesting artist. Enjoyed learning about her creative process, especially her use of sketchbooks for writing and thinking prior to images and research.Thank you Kitty and Caren.