Aoi

Upcycled hand- and machine-woven jacquard leftovers from Aoi Yoshizawa Textiles (Finland–Japan), backed with reclaimed textiles from Our Social Fabric (Vancouver). Machine stitching and spray paint, framed in repurposed scrap maple by wood artist Patrick Christie (Canada). Signed by stitching on the back, with a hanging system. Comes in a recycled-textile handbag with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Aoi is the first artwork in the Japanese–Finnish edition of the Painting Waste | Textile Stories series. The name Aoi (葵) means "hollyhock," a flower symbolizing resilience and connection in Japanese history. It can also mean "blue" (青) or "deep greenery" (蒼) — evoking fluidity, transformation, and the interplay of light and nature, themes reflected in this piece.

At its foundation are jacquard textile waste remnants from Aoi Yoshizawa, a Japanese–Finnish textile artist and a classmate of Varvara's during their MA studies at Aalto University (Helsinki, Finland). Aoi's work explores the balance between traditional and innovative weaving techniques — an interest the two artists share, shaping both of their artistic journeys. These discarded jacquard remnants were machine-stitched in an intuitive, expressive way, embracing chance and materiality.

Later, spray paint was applied, capturing the shifting light that once played across the artwork in Varvara’s former home in Vancouver — infusing the piece with both memory and movement. The frame is made from repurposed scrap maple wood, crafted by contemporary artist Patrick Christie, who, like Varvara, works with reclaimed materials. Their paths crossed during a shared residency at the creative co-working space "SPACE" in Vancouver, where their mutual appreciation for sustainability and craftsmanship deepened.

Like the layers of materials in this piece — coming into unexpected play with one another — Aoi is about collaboration, memory, and transformation, giving new life to what might otherwise have been discarded. It reflects the subtle interplay between structure and spontaneity, tradition and experimentation, permanence and change.

For a long time I considered this work finished, until its sister painting "Yuri" was acquired by a female collector and we had a very meaningful conversation about the free-flow hand-stitching I used on the painting. I realized that Aoi holds layers from my mainland family life — the light in the bedroom where I breastfed my second child, the stories of his first home — but no stitched stories from my island life. I took the painting back from the gallery wall at Hoxton Home and began adding stitching to it.

One evening of stitching with the store and gallery owners, one morning of meaningful conversations with an ocean view, the trip to Tofino and stitching at the Pacific Ocean — then it returned with me to the family home, where I am now letting go of my past family life and selling the house that held many memories of my motherhood. I noticed the light in the bedroom and captured one more layer of memories, from a stage of growing into more independence for both me and my son. It reminded me of the light from the church stained-glass windows where my son used to play grand piano on the island. I took the painting to another meaningful spot on the island — the Notch Hill hike.

This work has been featured in several exhibitions and publications during its different stages of creation, paving the way for further works in the series. Now, Aoi begins its next journey: finding a home with a collector who treasures its story and values the hands, materials, and history woven into its creation.