A new, creative normal
From backpacking the world for five years, to finding herself in isolation in Argentina, Valery Michelle has found comfort in knotting cotton.
Born on a Caribbean island in Venezuela, Valery is the creator of Isla Macramé, which is Spanish for ‘Macramé Island’. “I learned macramé in 2013,” Valery says. “I was just entering art university and I met wonderful people who taught me how to knit with waxed thread – I was a real hippy at that time. I learned to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings.”
After university, Valery embarked on a holiday to Brazil, and stayed there for two years. “Brazil is a country that makes anyone fall in love with it. I practically know the entire Brazilian coast, I spent two years travelling in that country. And since then I have been in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. I usually stay a for a while in each place, so I know it deeply. I know a lot of South America, from its northernmost point, to the southernmost point.”
Having settled in Capilla del Monte in Córdoba, Argentina, since the Coronavirus pandemic started, Valery is now remodelling a house with her boyfriend. “Some paperwork is still missing, but everything seems to be in order. It is an old and very big house and we plan to make it a hostel or camping destination, if this situation of the pandemic and the end of the world lets us do it. Capilla del Monte is surrounded by mountains and rivers, it’s a really wonderful place to spend my quarantine”
When she isn’t renovating, her time is spend creating wall tapestries. Though they use some of the techniques she learned back at university, the textile pieces that Valery makes today are much different. “This new way of knotting macramé with all these beautiful fibres fascinates me,” she says of the cotton she uses for her wall hangings. “I also enjoy how healing the macramé is – absolutely everything I am feeling can change when I macramé.”
We asked Valery some questions about her macramé making.
What is your creative inspiration?
Normally I get inspired while I am creating, and I also come up with ideas for other projects, so basically I get inspired by creating.
How long does it take you to make a fibre art piece?
It depends a lot on the size and the idea. If I already have an idea in my head of what I want to do and the work is of a medium size, it usually won’t take more than two days. But if I am experimenting as I go, it can take me weeks to bring my idea to life.
Some special words from Valery…
“Always try to be better than before in your art.”
“Don’t stop showing your art just because you think you’re not good enough.”
Follow along with Valery on Instagram – @islamacrame
Location: Argentina, South America
