Light as 'Air'

Souvenir's latest exhibit, Air, showcases the work of Vancouver-based textile artist Ana Isabel. Isabel works mostly with natural materials including linen, silk and wool, giving her weavings a unique earthy quality. Her pieces merge a minimalist aesthetic with her own careful eye for detail, creating truly stunning results.

Many of the pieces in this exhibit were created with the space in mind. Souvenir’s interior is awash in natural light, with a similarly minimalist style, and features a wide range of high quality goods. Souvenir owner and creative director Danielle Suppa has a keen eye for beautiful things and ensures that each piece she showcases has “a level of refinement, excellent execution and an overall thoughtfulness in design.” The weavings in Air, no doubt qualify.

Before finding her way to weaving Isabel was working in a corporate setting, but after a screen printing class, she found herself deeply drawn to the world of textiles and art. “I knew right away that I had to study and learn more about textiles.” She describes her artistic process as “planned with a touch of spontaneity,” which is perhaps an ideal way to interpret the pieces in the exhibit. Although they were made with undeniable skill and a meticulous eye for precision, there are elements of the unexpected evident as well. From wild knotted threads to asymmetrical designs, each piece in Air has an organic quality, stemming from the innate rawness of the materials and Isabel’s unhurried hand. Suppa adds, “it's so delicate and incredibly well done. You can just tell that she is such a master weaver.”

Isabel found her inspiration for Air in the fibers themselves, a selection of “lovely light silks and linens.” With the textiles as her guide she “wanted to create weavings that were also light, like air.” The result is a small but powerful showing of pieces that despite their ethereal quality have a distinct perspective, one that should not be missed.

Air runs until November 26, at Souvenir in Toronto.

See more of Ana Isabel’s work here and learn more about Souvenir here.