Finnish artist Raija Jokinen is known for her unique textile art. A combination of painting, drawing, papermaking, embroidery, and textiles, her technique is located at the meeting point of painting, graphic art, and textile. “I am interested in all techniques except printing (I haven’t done that much, though I have made print designs),” Jokinen shared in an interview with Textile Artist. “I am fond of structures and my favorite techniques employ fibers and yarns.”
Her technique was achieved through trial and error, first using paper yarns and then proceeding to handmade paper made of flax. She would then proceed to use flax without the traditional papermaking techniques. According to Jokinen, her working method can be compared to painting, using fiber instead of paint. In addition, she uses stitching to form “drawn” lines and rice starch as a binder.
“Preparing the fibers can be compared to the process of artists mixing paint in former times,” she further explained in the interview. “After preparing the materials I start to ‘draw’ and ‘paint’ with the fibers. I have a rough sketch for the outline but in practice the work is like painting and drawing, only with fibers. I add stitching to keep the fibers together and emphasize the image with ‘drawing’ and colors.”
A common theme throughout her work is the human body, exploring the boundaries between physical and immaterial feelings. “My feeling is that textiles have always been with me, it’s kind of part of me, my way of thinking,” she reflects. “My interest is in structures, the feel of the materials, colors and patterning.”
Scroll down to see some recent highlights from her Instagram page:
