Why These Stunning Wall Hangings Are Basically Art-Therapy for Your Soul
Like fellow crafting addict Amy Poehler, I, too am "in awe of anyone who can make beautiful things with their hands." And as of late, that wonder has been directed at Maryanne Moodie, the Brooklyn- and Melbourne-based artist responsible for the most stunning woven wall-hangings your Instagram feed has ever seen. Now, she's also created a series of workshops around the globe that have been bringing women together to make beautiful pieces, and also to relieve some much-needed stress.
While on maternity leave from her job as an art teacher, the On the Loom: A Modern Weavers Guide author stumbled upon her first loom and started playing around with it, by testing out new techniques and materials. “It was a bit like the wild west,” she admits. Now, her work has become a way for Moodie to get in touch with her emotions, which serve as inspiration for her designs. "I try to be in tune with what I am feeling and channel it into my work,” she explains.
Now, her work has become a way for Moodie to get in touch with her emotions, which serve as inspiration for her designs.
Through her weaving, Moodie has gotten the whole "DIY as self care" thing down to an art (pardon the pun). She starts her creative process by clearing her mind and looking inward, and then she uses whatever feelings come up as a jumping-off point for her designs. To do this, she gathers vintage textiles to create her layered pieces, which she approaches with an “all or nothing” attitude: They’re either super colorful and shapely or totally neutral and exploding with texture.
Another amazing aspect of Moodie's presence is that she's been leading workshops, where women come together and make wall-hangings themselves. It's easy to see the allure here: One study indicated that when women come together in knitting groups (which are a lot like weaving groups, TBH), they feel calmer and also have seen an improvement in communication with others. So through her craft, Moodie's also facilitating a way for women to feel better about themselves and their communities at large.
Through her craft, Moodie's also facilitating a way for women to feel better about themselves and their communities at large.
If you're not in a city where Moodie is traveling soon to attend one of her workshops, it's surprisingly easy to craft your way to calm—and yeah—earn yourself a piece of original artwork in the process. "You don't need to spend a lot of money to make something personal and magical," she explains. You can build a loom out of cardboard leftover from the holidays, then weave with materials you already have lying around at home. She suggests tearing up a pair of old jeans into strips to create a denim wall hanging, using old sheets to DIY-yourself a bathmat, or collecting leaves and flowers from outside to create a one-of-a-kind nature weave.
For those looking to get texturally active, Moodie offers tutorials on her website to help inspire your next good-for-the-soul art project. Here, we've compiled some serious inspiration from her Instagram feed. Happy scrolling!
Keep scrolling for serious wall-weaving inspo.
Check out even more heart-healing art projects to get into while you're stuck inside this winter, and stick with the hygge home-theme with these super cozy throws that will match your new wall hanging and make you want to hibernate until spring.
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