Paolo Arao
Name: Paolo Arao
Studio location: Brooklyn, NY
Website / social links: paoloarao.com, @paolo_arao
Loom type or tool preference: Four-Harness Floor Loom
Years weaving: 4
Fiber inclination: cotton, wool, fabric remnants
Current favorite weaving book: Sheila Hicks: Weaving as Metaphor
1. How did you discover weaving and was what your greatest resource as a beginner?
I discovered weaving in 2016 and my greatest resources at the beginning were Robin Kang and Crystal Gregory - both are incredibly talented artists/weavers. They directed me to the Textile Arts Center, a wonderful resource in Brooklyn, where I learned to sew and also enrolled in a weaving and drafting class taught by Samantha Bittman. Another equally important resource in Brooklyn is the Weaving Hand – run by artist/weaver Cynthia Alberto.
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 received a BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University and because my formal training is in painting, I have closely identified with a painting practice. However, I’ve been working predominantly with textiles for the past few years, interweaving a combination of different processes to make and think about work that’s less rigidly defined and more expansive and inclusive of multiple disciplines.
3. Describe your first experience with weaving.
My first meaningful experience with weaving happened in 2016 as a visiting artist in the Fibers and Materials Studies department at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. I was invited to Tyler by my friend and fellow artist Jesse Harrod (where I first met Robin Kang and Crystal Gregory who were both teaching there at the time.) I had the wonderful opportunity to translate a painting of mine into a woven textile on a Jacquard TC2 loom. It was my first “real” experience with weaving and I created three woven pieces while I was there. I absolutely fell in love with the process! This specific experience had a profound impact on me and it marked a pivotal turning point in my studio practice from painting (in the traditional sense) to a wholehearted embrace and love of textiles.
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?
For the past year, sampling has been my primary focus. It’s become my sketchbook for recording visual thoughts and developing ideas for future work. I love the simplicity and the versatility of plain weave. Working with color through the optical mixing of fibers and the haptic play of different textures is completely engaging and fascinating.
Weaving is a process that can be simultaneously overwhelming and liberating. I find comfort in the fact that I probably will never learn everything there is to know about weaving – but I can draw from the insights I’ve discovered through the process of making and through the collective wisdom of other weavers.
5. Does your work have a conceptual purpose or greater meaning? If so, do you center your making around these concepts?
Prior to earning my BFA in Painting, I was a classical pianist. I initially went to college to pursue my degree in music performance and composition. The rhythm, structure and repetition of weaving at the loom feels very similar to sitting at the piano. In this way, the loom as an instrument and weaving as a process feels completely natural to me.
The languages of music, painting, color and materiality are conceptually intertwined and play crucial roles in shaping my aesthetic thinking. And It’s through weaving that I’ve discovered a deeply meaningful way to connect more closely with my heritage. The Philippines has a rich history of textiles and craft practices, some of which share commonalities with other indigenous cultures throughout the world. I’ve been enjoying learning more about the history of textiles in general and specifically the history of weaving, embroidery and beadwork traditions of the Philippines. I’m not interested in simply replicating the motifs or patterns. Rather, my intention is to acknowledge and honor my heritage through weaving. I’m drawn to the idea of bridging the past with the present to create a dialogue that’s forward thinking.
6. What is your favorite part of the weaving process and why? What’s your least favorite?
Because weaving is relatively new to me, I find every part of the process to be exciting. Preparing my floor loom no longer feels like an intimidating obstacle and each new warp brings with it the potential for learning and discovery.
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?
Yes. I’ve exhibited and sold my sewn textile paintings in contemporary art galleries and museums throughout the US and internationally. Expanding my studio practice to include weaving has slowed my process down significantly (in the most wonderful way!) I’ve introduced patchworks of hand woven elements into my recent sewn paintings, and I can envision weaving taking on a more significant role in my work. Additionally, I support my studio practice through teaching, grants, residencies and visiting artist lectures/workshops.
8. Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration comes from a variety of sources. It might strike while walking from my apartment to my studio in Brooklyn or through a book I’m currently reading or a song on the radio or playing with new materials. I also find inspiration from other artists, weavers, designers, chefs, musicians, architects, filmmakers and writers.
9. What other creatives do you admire – weavers, artists, entrepreneurs – and why?
I’ve admired and continue to be inspired by the work and wisdom of a multitude of artists and weavers throughout the years for varying reasons. The most vital and lasting influence for me has been the artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. He paved the way for thinking and making work that subverts the expectations of what art by queer artists of color can look like.
10. If you could no longer weave, what would you do instead?
I honestly can’t imagine a world where weaving is no longer an option!
10. Do you have any upcoming exhibits, talks, or events the community should know about?
“Paolo Arao: In Dialogue with Drawing”
The Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA
February 20 – August 8, 2021
“Drawdown”
Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York, NY
March 11 – May 8, 2021
photo credits: Kristina Williamson / kristinawilliamson.com
