Jennifer Mao

Name: Jennifer Mao

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Studio location: Brooklyn, NY

Website / social links: @jjj_mao

Loom type or tool preference: Ashford rigid heddle loom, Dorset 4-shaft floor loom

Years weaving: 2

Fiber inclination: Cotton, linen, wool

Current favorite weaving book: This Long Thread by Jen Hewitt (not exclusively a book about weaving, though I would highly recommend for any textile lover, regardless of medium)

Contact information for commissions and collaborations: DM me on instagram

 

 

1. How did you discover weaving and was what your greatest resource as a beginner?

In the early days of the pandemic (back in April 2020), I stumbled upon Weaver House’s rigid heddle workshop through the Crafter’s Box. At that point, New York City was in a complete shutdown, so I was looking for something to channel my restless energy into. Weaving turned out to be the perfect activity: the combination of soothing repetition, practical problem-solving, and tactile connection to materials was exactly what I needed during that isolating (and terrifying!) time. Since in-person classes and connections weren’t possible, I had to rely entirely on books and the internet to expand my skills. Most of my early technical knowledge was picked up via blogs (Weaver House, Gist Yarn, Yarnworker), books (the Weaver’s Idea Book, The Handwoven Pattern Directory) – and watching a LOT of YouTube videos, of course. 

2. How do you define your practice – do you consider yourself an artist / craftsperson / weaver / designer / general creative or a combination of those? Is this definition important to you?

I’m not sure whether I’d consider my identity through any of those definitions, but many of those descriptors feel applicable to my work. For me, the idea of being a (capital A) “Artist” feels less important than sustaining a creative artistic practice that emphasizes continuous learning, experimentation, and imperfection, rather than focusing on outcomes or products. There is so much rich territory to explore as a weaver: you can choose to be cerebral, technical, and/or design-forward, or take a more intuitive or organic approach. In this way, I’m probably more of a tinkerer than any of the descriptors above!

3. Describe your first experience with weaving.

I was immediately hooked by the tactile immediacy of weaving. There were so many dimensions to making that first piece of woven cloth: the pragmatic problem-solving of how to wind a warp and thread the heddle, building muscle-memory to create even selvedges, coupled with negotiating a balancing act between creative freedoms and the constraints from the decisions you’ve made around warping, the structure of your loom, and the materials that you’ve chosen. I loved the balance between planning + improvisation, and especially felt drawn to the conceptual appeal of learning the intricacies of how to make something as foundational (and ubiquitous) as woven cloth.

4. What is your creative process, from the initial idea to the finished piece? Are there specific weave structures, looms, or fibers that are important to your process?

I don’t have a set formula for approaching the work. Sometimes I get inspiration for a particular palette or pattern for a weaving by being out in the world: seeing a particularly beautiful landscape, or a striking color combination on the subway. Many of my weavings are the product of an experiment or question that I’ve designed for myself. It could be a technical assignment, like puzzling out a new weave structure, natural dye recipe, or printing technique. One of the things that they always tell you to do as a weaver is to sample before starting your “real” project. In my case, I find the samples themselves the more interesting part of the process, and the basis for ‘finished’ pieces.

5. Does your work have a conceptual purpose or greater meaning? If so, do you center your making around these concepts?

I’ve been releasing hand-embroidered and hand-woven weavings through a pay-what-you-wish basis via social media for the past 2+ years. Each week’s piece is a miniature time capsule, capturing whatever ideas or feelings that I was working through or thinking about during that time. Currently, the pay-what-you-wish structure has also been a central anchor to the work, which gives me a way to lean into abundance and generosity as a continual practice. The weekly cadence has also been a useful structure (or container) for the project, which allows me to give myself permission and freedom to take a playful and experimental approach … and also practice non-attachment and embrace imperfectionism around the “finished”, released pieces.

 

6. What is your favorite part of the weaving process and why? What’s your least favorite?

My favorite and least favorite parts of weaving tend to change, depending on my mood. Sometimes the act of winding a warp or threading heddles feels calm and meditative, and other times, it can feel infuriatingly tedious. Sometimes I plan out the designs of the woven pieces far in advance, and other times I improvise, and figure it out as I go. The whole end-to-end process of weaving can be a useful diagnostic tool for however I am arriving to the loom that day. I try to observe and acknowledge moments of frustration or effortless flow on an equal level, two sides of the same coin. Negotiating the shifts from project to project between “favorite” and “least favorite” can also be a good reminder for me that things always change (or can change).

7. Do you sell your work or make a living from weaving? If so, what does that look like and how has that affected your studio practice?

I feel extremely fortunate to have a full-time day job, which gives me the freedom to structure my current practice around a pay-what-you-wish model. Although folks name their offered price when reaching out to inquire about a released weaving (along with optionally sharing why it spoke to them) , I try to select a recipient based on their genuine connection or response to the piece, if multiple people reach out. I do make a modest income from weaving (through these weekly weavings, commissions, and pattern design work), which ultimately allows me to take classes, buy additional equipment and looms, and use materials from small businesses that may not be financially sustainable for me otherwise.

8. What other creatives do you admire – weavers, artists, entrepreneurs – and why?

Far too many to name, but a few that come immediately to mind: the endless generosity of Felix Gonzales-Torres’s stack pieces, the steady discipline of On Kawara’s date paintings, the ingenuity and joy of Gee’s Bends quilts, the material poetry of Dario Robleto’s sculptures, the deep heritage and history of Aboubakar Fofana’s indigo work, the fluid and arresting presence of Nick Cave’s sound suits, the chameleonic slipperiness of Jenny Holzer’s Truisms, the visceral presence of Josef Albers’s Homage to the Square color paintings, and the pure genius of Anni Albers’s weavings (of course!).