Valérie Wartelle
Valérie Wartelle is a textile artist who explores the deep emotional and sensory connections we hold with the natural world.
-
Valérie Wartelle’s practice is rooted in the traditional craft of wet felting and the manipulation of textiles as an expressive art form. Drawing inspiration from the rural environment, Valérie creates contemplative, semi-abstract artworks rich in climate, texture, and light. These are highly textured pieces in which cloth is embedded and threads unravelled, as a painter with her brush.
Process has always been central to her practice, and through ongoing exploration of materials’ behaviours, Valérie has, over the years, perfected a unique approach to the craft. Fascinated by the organic qualities intrinsic to the medium, she works solely with natural materials such as wool, silk and linen fibres.
-
Brought up in France and French Polynesia, Valérie originally came to the UK to study Textile Design. Following a career as a knitwear designer and local government officer, Valérie set up her art studio in 2014 in West Yorkshire.
In 2021, she received a William Parker Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) award, which took her to the Netherlands for a three-month internship with artist activist Claudy Jongstra.
Valérie’s work is regularly shown throughout the UK, notably Collect International Art Fair 2022, Somerset House; ‘Closer Still’ solo exhibition, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Future Icons Selects, London Craft Week. Her work is bought by collectors in the UK, Europe and North America.
Works
For artworks and all other enquiries, please use the enquiry form below.
Enquire
To see this artist's full collection catalogue, and for all other enquiries
Features
You may also like
