Marjolein Burbank enjoys working with the soft texture of fabric. She embraces her vast experience of different cultures in her work. Here we learn more about her particular brand of fabric art.
Softness and pliability
What initially captured your imagination about textile art?
When I was a child there was always some fabric around (wood also) but I liked the softness and the pliability of fabric. I developed a fondness for the material.
For birthdays my parents wanted homemade presents and since I was already interested in fabric, that was the medium I used. In high school I was one of the first to be allowed to choose fabric art as one of my exam subjects. As a hobby I started with traditional quilting and became obsessed.
Soon that didn’t satisfy my creative mind anymore and I started to make my own designs. At that time I was living with my family in different countries all over the world. Lots of quilts later, living in Asia, I became interested in modern art. The art I saw in Asia stimulated me to make my own. I developed my own style and started making fabric art.
The story of my life
What currently inspires you?
My inspiration is the world around me, the people I meet, nature around me, but also everything that happens to me.
I have lived 26 years in different countries. Now back in my own country ( the Netherlands) I have to adjust myself to a different way of life again, and you can see that in my work. ‘I shop therefore I am’ and my ‘dresses series’.
Since then I’ve started making ‘dresses’ for the wall, in which I play with words. These are a joy to make.
What was your route to becoming an artist?
I am mostly self-taught, since I was living abroad, there were not many courses available. The good thing about this is that this way I had to find out how to achieve the effect I wanted and in that process I learned a lot. I was fortunate though to be able to follow a short 2 day course with Charlotte Yde and Pam Holland, which helped me develop as an artist.
How would you describe your work?
Now I feel I am a storyteller with my art pieces; they tell the story of my life.
Surprising myself
Tell us about a piece you have fond memories of and why?
A piece that I have fond memories of is one of the first pieces that I made in commission. The family portrait . While I was making it, I changed the layout plan a lot, until I was happy with the result.
Tell us a bit about your process
I start my art pieces in different ways, sometimes I plan everything ahead and make a pattern, other times I start cutting fabric and let the work evolve. I like to surprise myself and love every aspect of creating a piece, including the buying of fabric.
Where can readers see your work this year?
I am member of an art group of different disciplines called Art&Jazz. Together with them I’m showing 2 works in an exhibit in Muzee , Scheveningen. With the art group Time Travelers in Galerie Acid-Test. And again with Art&Jazz in Chizone Scheveningen.
To see more of Marjolein’s work visit to her website.
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