Composition — 2023
Wool, cotton, acrylic, wood, backlighting
44"H x 75"L
Available upon inquiry
This piece brings together a range of fiber techniques through a restrained, neutral palette, relying less on color and more on texture, form, shadow, and movement. The composition reveals itself slowly as woven structures, layered fibers, and suspended lines emerge through shifting light and perspective. Integrated LED backlighting subtly transforms the atmosphere of the work, altering the way its textures and details are experienced.
Field, Marrakech — 2021
Wool, cotton, acrylic, mixed fiber, paint, canvas
30"H x 40"L
Available upon inquiry
Created from layered textile materials sewn onto a canvas painted in vivid Majorelle blue, the work was inspired by the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, Morocco. Influenced by the city’s saturated color, layered textiles, and handwoven rugs, the piece translates those impressions through a personal material language and compositional approach. The work is intended to feel tactile, vibrant, and immersive — like a fragmented memory shaped by pattern, movement, and color.
Open System — 2021
Cotton, wool, acrylic, up-cycled fabric, mixed fiber, copper
83"H x 53"L
Available upon inquiry
This large-scale textile work explores the tension between structure and spontaneity through an interwoven grid of fibers, rope, and woven forms. While the composition initially appears tangled and unruly, it gradually reveals its own internal rhythm and sense of cohesion. A restrained, textural palette is interrupted by small moments of color that suggest movement and energy beneath the surface.
Drift — 2021
Cotton, wool, metallic string, gold leaf, brass sequins, paint, wood
54"H x 36L"
Sold / Private Collection
Inspired by the feeling of open landscape — rolling hills, shifting terrain, waterfalls, and expansive space — the composition unfolds through layered textures, suspended fibers, and subtle shifts in color and density. Balancing movement with restraint, the work approaches landscape in an atmospheric and tactile way, translating softness, openness, and quiet through fiber and weave.
Material Memory — 2018
Cotton, up-cycled saris, metal
23"Diameter
Available upon inquiry
Created primarily from repurposed Indian saris gathered in India by my mother-in-law from friends and family, the work reflects a personal connection to Indian culture and its rich traditions of color and textile. The saris were torn into strips and woven into a circular form, giving new life to materials that had already lived full lives of their own. Through repetition, texture, and layered color, the piece explores the idea of fabric as a carrier of memory — holding traces of people, histories, celebrations, and everyday life.
In-Circle — 2023
Naturally dyed fabric, cotton, beading
21'L x 21H' Framed
Available upon inquiry
Inspired by a trip to Laos during Boun Lai Heua Fai, the Festival of Lights marking the end of Buddhist Lent, the work draws from the atmosphere of candlelit temples, quiet processions of monks, and illuminated floats released into the Mekong River. While there, I hand-dyed the fabric using sappan wood native to the region and used iron and soy paste to sketch the monks directly onto the cloth before hand-embroidering the piece with silk sourced in Laos. Through its materials and process, the work carries both the imagery and physical presence of the place itself, balancing traditional handwork with a more contemporary presentation.
Segmented Field II — 2025
Wool, cotton, acrylic, silk, felt
19.5"H x 21"L
Available upon inquiry
This contemporary tufted work explores balance through color, texture, and form. A soft palette of pale pinks, muted blues, lavender, and deep green is interrupted by moments of vibrant chartreuse that energize the composition. Varying textures and sculptural forms create movement and connection between each section, while a delicate mohair element acts as a subtle structural line running throughout the piece. Though abstract, the work balances softness with structure, and playfulness with restraint.
Obit, Interrupted — 2017
Cotton, wool, mixed fibers, metal
23" Diameter
Sold / Private Collection
Created using upcycled fabric and layered yarns, this circular textile work explores the relationship between structure, texture, and form. The composition feels both organized and organic — suggestive of a fragmented orbit or shifting landscape viewed from above. Soft neutrals are interrupted by moments of vivid color, creating movement and tension within the circular form, while the exposed radial structure references both construction and delicacy. Through layered materials, negative space, and subtle shifts in texture, the work encourages a slower, more tactile viewing experience.
Inquires
meganpenniston@gmail.com