Karena Ryan

Textile and mixed media. Hand dyed and natural dyed fabrics including vintage linens and Irish tweeds.

Q&A

Artist Statement

I am a textile and mixed media artist. I create original artwork that is made by hand using stitch, embroidery, paint, type and beading. The finished piece is always inspired by a story or narrative .

What craft do you work with?

Karena Ryan is a textile and mixed media artist

What inspires you to work with this craft?

Karena is inspired by the past, everything that relates to innocence and nostalgia and draws inspiration from poetry, the history of place and ancestry. Karena is passionate about telling a story in her work and repurposes materials that speak to her.

How do you start your creative process?

She works as sustainably as possible using vintage and donated materials ( Irish tweed, linen and wool)

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

She uses a range of techniques and media in her work including felting, free motion stitching, weaving, embroidery, paint and stitch. Hand stitching and embellishing are often added to her work making them highly tactile and textural.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I am always developing my craft by experimenting with new techniques