Ashford Artist of the Month – Nov 25 – Mylena Larochelle
We are delighted to introduce our latest Ashford Artist of the Month — Mylena Larochelle from Quebec, Canada. I had the pleasure of meeting Mylena in person at Knit City in Montreal earlier this year, and I hope you enjoy reading about her fibre-art journey as she ventures down the creative rabbit hole.
Kate
Tell us about yourself! Where are you from, and what do you do as an artist?
I come from a small town in the Appalachian Mountains in the province of Quebec, Canada, where the winters are long and my yarn stash somehow manages to be even longer! I love exploring every corner of the fiber world and I happily dive into anything that involves a thread. I currently crochet, knit and sew, but weaving is the craft that I love making the most. It just feels like home to me! I weave on rigid heddle looms, inkle looms and multi-shaft looms.
What was your background before you started creating fibre art?
My fiber art journey began a long time ago. When I was nine years old, my mom taught me how to crochet and a few years later, my grandma showed me how to knit. I even inherited my other grandma’s sewing machine. Crafting has always been a family affair! Since I graduated, I have been working a regular nine-to-five in a corporate office doing administrative tasks. Crafting quickly turned into the perfect creative outlet, and it slowly grew into something much bigger and much more meaningful.
How did your fibre artist journey begin? What inspired you to start?
My fiber artist journey truly began during a trip to Mexico. I stumbled upon beautiful handwoven pieces, and I bought them with a promise to myself that one day, I would learn how to weave and eventually create my own. As soon as I returned home, I ordered my first rigid heddle loom from Ashford. I started weaving right away! That was the moment when I happily fell into the rabbit hole of weaving.
How has your creative process evolved over time?
With every piece I create, I feel myself becoming more ambitious and more courageous with my choices of colors and fibers. I have been nurturing my creative side little by little and this has changed the way that I see the world around me. I often catch myself noticing the beauty in the most ordinary moments, and those small details inspire me in ways I never expected!
What happens to your creations once they’re finished? Do you use, sell, or showcase them in any particular way?
For now, most of my creations end up being used and loved in my own home, or they find their way to friends and family who are always happy to receive them! I also try to document as many pieces as I can online so that my learning process and the patterns that I develop can help support fellow weavers on their own creative paths.
If you sell your work, where can people find it?
All my patterns are available for free on my website. Anyone who wants to try them can jump right in! It’s my favorite way to share what I learn and keep the weaving community growing.
How do you find balance in your life as an artist?
Finding balance is probably my biggest challenge! I try to set aside a little time every morning for creativity, which usually means waking up a bit earlier. Some people go to the gym, but I prefer to get weaving! Spending that quiet moment on something just for myself boosts my mood for the rest of the day. Life can get busy and unpredictable, so without that dedicated time, it would be hard to fit creativity in at all.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw a lot of my inspiration from nature and from the small moments of beauty in my everyday life. The more I weave, the more I notice fabric wherever I go. I find myself studying color combinations and paying attention to different weaving structures in everyday textiles. All these little observations inspire me in unexpected ways! Every time that I enter a friend’s house, I’m drawn to their curtains and blankets. I need to touch them and see how they were woven. I’m sure many of you will understand!
What advice would you give to someone just beginning their fibre art journey?
Give yourself plenty of kindness and accept that things will not be perfect right away. I struggled with that when I first started, and everything changed the moment I began to see each project as a learning opportunity. That shift allowed me to relax and truly enjoy the process!
What’s next for you? Where do you see your fibre journey taking you in the future?
I would love to reach a point where I can do this full time. With my current schedule, I can only create a few videos each year and I hope to make more so that I can share even more with the community. In a more specific way, I plan to keep exploring weaving on my different looms, but especially on my rigid heddle. I love showing how much power this little loom truly has. I would also love to extend my knowledge and start spinning! But I think that this is a whole other rabbit hole in itself!
We can’t wait to learn more about your journey and share your beautiful work with the Ashford community. Thank you for being an inspiration!
