Teresa Rosa Aguayo

Weaver

A weaver's web

Teresa hand weaves her creations on manual looms
The name of her atelier Teraninya means cobweb in Catalan
In 2019 she won the Premio Nacional de la Generalitat de Catalunya

Since her childhood Teresa Aguayo has been fascinated by the arts and how things are made, and thanks to her studies in textiles the loom became the instrumental tool to shape her ideas into something physical. Soon after graduating from the Massana School, she started her own workplace, weaving tapestries for her first exhibition at an art gallery in Barcelona, combining the language of textiles and the artisanal process. Her fabrics are designed and made to envelop both bodies and interiors, she masters different techniques, using manual looms and different yarns and fibres, never ceasing to investigate and innovate. Her workshop also hosts a variety of courses, where she shares her knowledge and experience with passion and vision.

Interview

What type of textiles do you create?: Our workshop specialises in traditional weaving techniques. We make ornamental tapestries and we create two different collections a year of scarves and shawls, all made with manual looms, as well as fabrics with botanical prints, natural dye, felt and Shibori technique.
Do you have a mission?: My goal is to create a dialogue between tradition and innovation, where traditional expression meets a contemporary concept. I like to teach and share ideas, the relationship with my students and their curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm is extremely rewarding.
What does the loom mean for you?: It is my ally, the tool that allows me to accomplish my ideas. The process of weaving is like a conversation, an idea slowly coming to life exactly the way you had pictured it. Each product has its own identity that is revealed while making, and through the gesture of making it.
Do you perceive your craft as endangered?: I would not say that; I can see a growing interest in learning and combining traditional craft with design. Take tapestries, the expression of contemporary textiles, that can be used just like other mediums to communicate feelings and an artistic vision.

Teresa Rosa Aguayo is a master artisan: she began her career in 2000 and she started teaching in 2005