Tapestry weaver Christabel Balfour on the art of improvisation and the simplicity of her modern designs
In our film series Modern Makers, we’ve been celebrating the art of craft by visiting the studios of some of the most exciting artisans working today, from a woodworker to a ceramicst and a glassblower. In our new episode, we meet Christabel Balfour, a tapestry weaver whose work is inspired by man-made architecture and natural landscapes alike. Watch the film here, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to see new episodes.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that weaving is a lost art – it’s certainly not every day you meet someone who weaves for work, or even for pleasure. But for Christabel, weaving has long been a part of her life. It might sound surprising, but she has been weaving ever since she was a small child, when her mother bought her a toy loom. It’s a pastime that she subsequently explored while at art college, where her work also spanned abstract sculpture. And, as Christabel has discovered, weaving can be fruitful too: today she is best known for her rugs and wall hangings, which she creates at her studio in east London.
Modern isn’t a word you would typically associate with tapestry weaving – it’s a craft, after all, that dates back to the second half of the 14th century – but Christabel’s work is just that. Modernity is there in the artful shapes, considered natural colours and simplicity of her designs. “While they’re very simple, I don’t know how they’re going to turn out until they are finished,” she says of her tapestries, which she often improvises on the loom. “I think it’s more interesting when you’re not completely in control – when you’re just following a hunch, seeing how things play out.”
A common thread in her work is the notion of travel. It’s where she sources her inspiration – Christabel often references the sights she sees on long walks around the capital – and it’s something she compares the craft of weaving to. “Tapestries feel quite map-like,” she explains, “you’re sat in one place, but the tapestries move towards you.” And, just like making a journey, weaving is an incredibly time-consuming dicisipline, especially when you’re working both with and against the grid of the loom. “I do a lot of curved lines, and technically, it’s very challenging,” she says.
To see Christabel at work and and learn more about her design process, watch the film here. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to see new episodes as they come out, and don’t forget to check out the rest of our Modern Makers series.
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