By Ingrid Keneally
The buzz is building around the strong quirky work of Singapore-based textile artist Teresa Lim. Since graduating from Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore with a First Class B(a) Honors in Fashion Design and Textiles in 2013, Lim has had her work showcased in exhibitions and fashion shows in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Japan and collaborated on projects with H&M, Swarovski, and most recently a commissioning by Gucci. Lim mainly explores feminine identity through an original combination of illustration, embroidery and surface pattern design that juxtaposes the modern lives of youthful women with the sublime beauty of the natural world. The artist’s particular brand of re-imagined contemporary embroidery first became popular with her canvasses that depict a host of landmark locations around the world – an ongoing embroidery project that documents the places she has explored. Her audacious treatments can be seen at her website Teeteeheehee.com
What would be the best way to describe how you work with wool?
I use cotton threads sometimes, not necessarily always wool. I use a combination of both to embroider my illustrations. Wool gives a more raised 3D effect when I use it to embroider.
What is a pivotal moment in your early career?
When I got selected to work with Swarovski to embroider a show-piece dress that uses only Swarovski crystals. It felt really good because it was showcased next to works from Mary Kay and Jason Wu. This was a long time ago when I was still a student, but it made me feel like I was doing something right with my embroidery textile works, which worked as a fuel for me to continue in this direction.
What, if anything, in your childhood influenced what you do now?
My childhood was really all about studying. But I guess if you look at it this way, you can say that studying and cramming so much made me look for a craft/hobby that can take my mind off chemistry equations and math homework as a form of escape.
What are the professional achievements you are most proud of?
A recent project I worked for Gucci. And also another one with a Japanese camera brand where they flew a whole creative team down to Singapore together with a Japanese actress just to shoot a video of my works and me working.
Why do you think wool/handmade textiles are so popular right now?
Because the world is moving so fast. Everyone is living a very fast and hectic life where everything can be produced so quickly on demand. I feel that handmade textiles work like an antithesis to this in a sense that it takes a lot of time, it’s not instant, it doesn’t involve a machine, and it’s done with an actual pair of hands, and maybe because of this it has more value and sentiment.
If you could choose one dream wool project, what would it be?
Oh this I know, I want to crochet many colorful small neon squares and piece them together to make a huge blanket… But first I need to learn how to crochet.
Which artists have inspired you?
Tracy Emin. She doesn’t work with wool nor mainly only textiles, but her thinking as an artist as inspired me a lot.
What is your favourite woollen item in your wardrobe or home and why?
I bought a pull-over sweater from a thrift store in Tokyo and it’s my favourite thing to wear in cold weather because it has little pom-poms on it and it’s so quirky and, most importantly, it’s so warm and comfy.
What is the state of your current workspace?
Messy. Very messy. I have threads everywhere. But I thrive best like this, I like things where I can see them so I’m constantly thinking about colors and visuals. But of course once it gets too much I have to pack it up. It works a bit like a painter’s paint palette, the mix of colors bring inspiration but once there’s too much mix it becomes too messy, the painter brings or washes the palette and starts again.
What is your idea of a good beginner’s task?
Make samplers to experiment different ways to use a stitch to come up with different types of textures.
What is your favourite KPC Yarn hue?
This is super difficult, I’m a color person and I can’t just pick one. But if I really have to…it’ll be Honeysuckle from the Gossyp range. It reminds me a lot of Christmas.