Mary Poppelier - 'Without light no shadow'

Mary Poppelier's textile art is best described as painting with textile. She attaches pieces of fabric with needle and thread, layering and playing with transparency, light and color. She mainly uses recycled textiles such as trimmings from the tailor, old fabric samples or discarded clothing. From orangeette to couture fabrics, and everything in between.

The starting point is often a photograph, usually from her own archive. She enlarges these by hand on paper. She then transfers the large lines to the fabric base with a basting thread. She fills the areas with small pieces of textile, first the larger areas and then the details. Here she deals not only with color but also with structure and gloss. Sometimes she also works from the material. Like with flowered fabrics as a basis for old-fashioned flower paintings.

With her work she has no special message or intention. In finding the right subject, she finds atmosphere, light and shadow more important than the subject itself. She is looking for enchantment, for something more than just a pretty picture.

Mary Poppelier's background as, among other things, a painter and fashion designer contribute to the creation of her textile paintings.