Textile artist Caroline Bartlett draws on memory to create poetic installations and pleated forms that honour material, history, and transformation. In this episode, she reflects on the emotional weight of cloth, her journey through education and public art, and how the process of making can centre us in times of flux.
It’s the doing and the undoing and the redoing. There’s a repetition in that… and then there’s a point where you start to come out the other side, and you know what direction it’s taking.
- Caroline Bartlett
Takeaways from this episode
- Cloth as a sensory archive.
For Caroline, cloth is more than material, it’s memory made tangible. From the scent of wool to the rustle of taffeta, textiles connect us to ritual, intimacy, and social histories that span generations.
- The act of stitching is both care and excavation.
Stitching on train rides while caring for her father, Caroline developed a method of stitching “under the skin” of cloth, an approach as much about metaphor as material.
- Letting the process lead.
Caroline rarely begins with a fixed outcome. Instead, her work evolves through intuition, research, play, and a willingness to be uncomfortable. Meaning emerges not just through intention, but through time and patience.
- When memory becomes form.
From porcelain discs impressed with fabric to installations in ancient abbey ruins, Caroline’s works carry traces of loss, resilience, and regeneration. Her materials cloth, thread, and stone speak of both fragility and endurance.
- Resilience is a creative discipline
“Push through,” she advises artists. Whether navigating uncertainty or refining a new body of work, Caroline reminds us that faith in the process is as essential as skill.
Explore the artwork from this episode below
During the live interview, we shared some images of Caroline’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made some images available for you below.
Join the conversation
What inspired you this episode? Share your biggest insight or favourite moment by tagging @FibreArtsTakeTwo on social media or using #FibreArtsPodcast