The oldest textile art ever found was a dyed cotton fabric discovered in Peru and was estimated to be approximately 6,200 years old. Textile art was historically viewed as inferior to other types of art, such as painting and sculpture, probably because it was more of a women’s hobby. As a result, it didn’t have a place in the galleries.

While textile art remains mainly female-dominated, it has made quite some strides in recent years. This guide explores some popular contemporary textile arts, which may be worth knowing if you are a textile art lover.

What is Textile Art

Textile art can be best defined as art created or depicted on a piece of fabric through sewing, plaiting, stitching, weaving, tailoring, crocheting, pleating etc. This type of art can serve many purposes, including making clothes, wall hangings, carpets etc.

If you want to get your hands on pieces of creative textile art, there are many online marketplaces where you can find some of the most exquisite art forms. Due to the intricate nature of creating textile art, you must be prepared to pay top dollar for the unique pieces, but they are worth every dollar.

Here are some of the popular art and textile paintings of the last decade:

Torn Apart, Frances Crowe

The Trump administration saw the worst crackdown on illegal immigration across the southern border. One Ireland-based grandma and textile artist, Frances Crow, was so appalled by the images of children being separated from their parents that it inspired her to create her 2018 torn-apart textile art to channel her outrage.

The 5 feet by 10 feet woven tapestry has been selected for high-calibre art exhibitions in Ireland, England, Canada, and India, making her textile artwork among the most popular contemporary pieces of textile art. Other works by the artist include her Roscommon Community (2018) and Displaced Community (2018), among others.

Jessica Dance and David Sykes, Comfort Food

You probably have come across animals and toys made from textiles. But you have probably never come across textile food.

‘Comfort Food’ is a playful 2014 project by Jessica Dance, a prop stylist, and David Sykes, a food photographer. Dance used a knitting machine and wool to make props of all the items you would find on an English fast-food menu, from burgers, chicken, hot dogs, fries, nuts, sausages, and bread and butter.

These creations are so perfect that they could pass off for real food from a distance. The creations are a testament that textile is an excellent medium of art that can be used to create everything imaginable.

Cayce Zavaglia, Multiple Stitches

When most people think of portraits, they think of either photographs or paintings. Cayce Zavaglia has proved that there are more ways of creating photo-realistic portraits than drawing and painting.

Rather than use paint or pencils to create her portraits, she uses millions of stitches that result in a portrait that, when looked at from a distance, could pass for a photograph.

Cayce Zavaglia originally trained as a painter but switched to embroidery slightly over a decade ago, which has evidently paid off based on the unique nature of the pieces she produces. According to her, one piece takes four to six months to complete, but all the wait is worth it, considering how detailed the pieces are.

Fiona Hutchison, Wall of Water

If the environment is something you care about, Scotland-based Fiona Hutchison’s Wall of Water is one art based on environmental conservation you may want to check out. Fiona’s passion for the marine environment is visible in her artwork as she utilises materials that are a significant problem in the seas, plastic.

During the pandemic lockdowns, she wove together reclaimed plastic straps to create a stunning depiction of a wall of water. Her work is considered quite unique for its creativity and passion for the environment, which is among the main challenges threatening human and animal existence.