Pushing the boundaries of textiles
Words: Tous Mag | Image Credits: © Thompson Street Studio |
Born and raised in NYC, Kiva Motnyk - founder of Thompson Street Studio - spends her days and nights designing and crafting home products with a focus on experimental textiles. Born from a love of textiles, Thompson street studio is dedicated to making objects created with a hand-made authenticity with delicate hand-stitched details that add a personal quality to each piece.
Splitting her time between her studio in the city and upstate NY - with her home set idyllically amongst the mountains - Kiva sources inspiration from both contrasting environments to help with her diverse practice. Working with natural materials, naturally dyed textiles, or recycled materials, this environment conscious designer works across all aspects of the design process including personally dyeing with plants foraged upstate to prepare the fabrics for their journey ahead.
“At some point I needed to unlearn the rules I had been taught and learn to listen to my instincts.” Kiva Motnyk
Studying at art school and working in the design world for many years equipped Kiva with a toolbox of useful skills that led her to opening her own studio. From that point onwards, though, her first challenge was to unlearn all the ways she thought she was supposed to do things in order to let her experimentation begin and to further expand her work, challenge norms and push the boundaries of textiles. For more, read the interview below!
Tous Mag: Have you always been New York based, and do you have any sentimentality toward NYC?
Kiva Motnyk: I was born and raised in NYC, I have my studio here but I also love to work in my home in Upstate NY which is completely different from my life in the city. It is remote and we live in the middle of acres of fields in the mountains. I love the contrast between the two places.
Tous Mag: What started your passion for textiles, was your talent recognised from an early age?
Kiva Motnyk: Both my parents are artists, they encouraged creative work and living, I always loved painting and discovered working with textiles when I was in college at RISD. I loved combining textiles and painting and learning how to mix different mediums.
Tous Mag: Could you give us a peer into your daily life - does it always include studio time?
Kiva Motnyk: Each day is very different from the next, I am always working in some way, thinking about the next project, dyeing with the plants from upstate to prepare fabrics for the next piece, or working in my studio in NYC meeting with collaborators. I also teach in the Parsons MFA Textile program once a week and work with clients on creative direction for different brands. It’s a mix and I enjoy all the types of work.
Tous Mag: Are there any particular techniques or motifs that you use throughout your work? What do you think makes your textiles distinctly you?
Kiva Motnyk: I enjoy experimenting with colour and feel that this is something that stands out in my work. I prefer to work with natural materials, naturally dyed textiles, or recycled materials. I also enjoy emphasising the handmade qualities of a piece, adding hand stitch details and experimenting with different textures.
Tous Mag: Are we right in thinking you work on year-long collections?
Kiva Motnyk: I do work on year long collections, although that timeline is pretty general. Sometimes it all develops on a shorter schedule and sometimes the collections take longer. It depends on how the process evolves.
Tous Mag: We love how experimental your designs are, have you always been free with your designs or did you start off traditional in any way? Much like, for example, Pablo Picasso was classically trained before taking an abstract route...
Kiva Motnyk: I was trained in many different ways through growing up with a creative artistic family, studying at art school and working in the design world for many years. At some point I needed to unlearn the rules I had been taught and learn to listen to my instincts. When I opened the studio, that was the hardest thing for me to do. Unlearn all the ways I thought I was supposed to do things. But I do think it’s important to learn the traditional techniques, initially, so that you have the tools to expand your own work.
Tous Mag: Have any collaborations really stuck with you and carried through to your current practice?
Kiva Motnyk: Yes, many people I collaborate regularly with, my Husband - for example - is one of my favourite people to collaborate with. My long time friend and collaborator Susan Cianciolo who I have learned a lot from working with over the years and has influenced my practice. Collaborating is an important part of my work, it helps me to expand beyond what I initially think is possible. I am always learning through collaborations.
Tous Mag: What do you like to do in your spare time when you aren't making?
Kiva Motnyk: I like being in the country, traveling, being at the beach, I love being outdoors when I can, being in nature and exploring new places.
Tous Mag: Would you have any encouraging words to someone thinking of starting a creative enterprise of any kind - what does it mean to you to be able to do what you do?
Kiva Motnyk: Remember to listen to your inner voice and open up to collaborations. Don’t lead your work and decisions by ego.
Tous Mag: If you had to pick a soundtrack to accompany your pieces, what would you choose?
Kiva Motnyk: The music I listen to is so much about mood and is different everyday. I would say today is a lot about classic reggae which always keeps me calm - Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Alton Ellis and Bob Marley are a few of my favourites.
