Meet Madeline Arnault | Textile Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madeline Arnault and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madeline, how do you define success?
Success is an ever-moving goal. I strive for it, and while I find it in pieces and small moments, there is always more to be achieved because my art and the world are always evolving. In the short term, success is feeling confident and proud of my work. That can look different day to day – it may be the eight hours plus I spent sewing, or the one hour spent reading theory. It can be the hike that gave me inspiration. In the longer term, success is feeling that I’ve applied my time well.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is created with mostly fabric and fibers. I refer to myself as a textile artist. I started out making clothing, and my early work was mainly sculptural forms with a lot of detail. My work now is very much related to form and existence in space, even in my two-dimensional wall hangings.

I’ve learned a lot along the way. While switching between different mediums and drawing from many traditions, and then through study of my own medium – and developing wonderful relationships with other artists – I’ve become stronger. Feeling like I can stand on my own as an artist is an ongoing struggle, but something I’ve become better at as time goes by.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I actually did this a few years ago, when my parents visited from back East. Sunrise in Yosemite and sunset in Joshua Tree are irreplaceable memories, as are trips to Zion and Bryce Canyon. I love to take guests to get lost in the fantastical exhibits at the Museum of Jurassic Technology.

As for eating, I’m a vegetarian, but I’ll never hear the end of not taking my brother to In-N-Out when he was here! Also, LA has a wonderful coffee culture. I’ve been enjoying new spots and buying locally roasted beans. Near me, some favorite shops are Iron & Kin in Claremont and Lucky’s Coffee in Upland.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to give a shoutout to Robin McLaughlin (costumer, designer of Journey bags and wedding accessories). She took on a kid who could barely hand sew a pillow, and spent years teaching me to make clothing. She sat for hours next to me at a sewing machine, and took me to the local theater to work on repairs and detail work. I’d pull off some tricky bit of sewing (and she’d compliment me on the result), then tell me to undo it and try once again because it wasn’t quite good enough! Robin imparted a lot of technical knowledge and encouraged my work ethic. Even now I sometimes call her with questions or just to chat about the most recent books we’ve read. However, I joke that Robin is never allowed to see my work up close. I’m afraid it won’t be up to her standards and she might make me rip it out and do it again.

Website: madelinearnault.com

Instagram: @madimaud

Image Credits
Jonathan Yacoub, Madeline Arnault