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"Aoi”, 2017 (Painting Waste | Textile Stories series)
20 × 26 in | 51 × 66 cm
Upcycled hand woven jacquard leftovers from Aoi Yoshizawa Textiles (Finland-Japan)
Backing: Reclaimed textiles from Our Social Fabric (Vancouver, Canada)
Machine Stitching, Spray paint
Frame: repurposed scrap maple wood by Wood Artist Patrick Christie (Canada)
Signed by stitching at the back. Hanging system.
Comes in recycled textile handbag and with Certificate of Authenticity
Story of Aoi
Aoi is the first artwork in the Japanese–Finnish edition of the Painting Waste | Textile Stories series. The name Aoi (葵) means “hollyhock,” a flower symbolizing resilience and connection in Japanese history. It can also mean “blue” (青) or “deep greenery” (蒼)—evoking fluidity, transformation, and the interplay of light and nature, themes reflected in this piece.
At its foundation are jacquard textile waste remnants from Aoi Yoshizawa, a Japanese–Finnish textile artist and a classmate of Varvara’s during their MA studies at Aalto University (Helsinki, Finland). Aoi’s work explores the balance between traditional and innovative weaving techniques—an interest the two artists share, shaping both of their artistic journeys.
These discarded jacquard remnants were machine-stitched in an intuitive, expressive way, embracing chance and materiality. Later, spray paint was applied, capturing the shifting light that once played across the artwork in Varvara’s former home in Vancouver—infusing the piece with both memory and movement.
The frame is made from repurposed scrap maple wood, crafted by contemporary artist Patrick Christie, who, like Varvara, works with reclaimed materials. Their paths crossed during a shared residency at the creative co-working space “SPACE” in Vancouver, where their mutual appreciation for sustainability and craftsmanship deepened.
Like the layers of materials in this piece—coming into unexpected play with one another—Aoi is about collaboration, memory, and transformation, giving new life to what might otherwise have been discarded. It reflects the subtle interplay between structure and spontaneity, tradition and experimentation, permanence and change.
This work has been featured in several exhibitions and publications, paving the way for further works in the series. Now, Aoi begins its next journey: finding a home with a collector who treasures its story and values the hands, materials, and history woven into its creation.
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About:
Varvara is a Canadian textile artist, designer, and creative curator with international background whose work interweaves material innovation, storytelling, and community engagement.
Varvara holds a Master of Arts from AALTO University of Arts, Design, and Architecture (Helsinki, Finland), specializing in textiles, fashion, sustainability, and innovation.
With a professional background in fashion, design, and technology,
she currently explores how textiles carry histories and connect people.
Now based on Vancouver Island, her work has been exhibited globally, always with a focus on reimagining materials and strengthening connections through design.
Rooted in sustainability, Varvara’s series “Painting Waste_Textile Stories” gives new life to discarded materials, challenging conventional ideas of value and consumption. Collaborating with other artists, artisans, and communities, she creates works - painted textile stories - that honor tradition while embracing experimentation.
Whether through handwoven textiles, upcycled installations, or participatory projects, Varvara’s work fosters a dialogue between past and future,
craft and technology, individual stories and collective memory.
Beyond her own creations, Varvara is passionate about building creative ecosystems—spaces where artists and makers can exchange ideas, share resources, and co-create meaningful work. She sees textiles as a language of care and connection, stitching together narratives that might otherwise be lost.
