Phong Lai considers himself a maker. Using reclaimed natural fibers in his work, he transforms upcycled textiles with traditional techniques of patchwork, quilting, hand stitching, embroidery, mending and needle weaving (all forms of the domestic arts), creating work with a thoroughly modern and whimsical free hand approach.
How did you find yourself on an artist’s path? Always there? Lightbulb moment? Dragged kicking and screaming? Evolving?
Essentially, I consider myself to be a maker, I find that my work sits at the intersection of art, craft and design. My practice is process driven, there is a continual desire to explore what else can be done with pre-existing cloth, needle, thread and natural dyes- it is a creative challenge to myself.
Why fiber art? Why did you choose that medium?
I’ve always seen fiber and textiles through a fashion and design lens – as a child in my dad’s clothing workshop, as an obsessive’ fashion is my passion’ consumer youth and then as a shoe designer/maker adult working in the fashion industry.
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In 2014, I stopped my footwear label and took the opportunity to work for a quilting social enterprise in Vietnam and the handicraft sector in Nepal. It was through these experiences that I fully realised the preciousness of cloth, both new and old. I witnessed the hours and days of labour that goes into the making of a length of handwoven fabric, The dyeing of fabric with plants, the hand knotting of a carpet and the hand stitching of a quilt.
Upon returning to Australia in 2017, I developed my textile practice and started using natural dyes and upcycled textiles to make my own quilts and clothing. I like old cloth; they bear silent witness to past memories and there is too much of it anyways.
What different creative media do you use in your work?
I use the traditional techniques of patchwork, quilting, hand stitching/embroidery, mending and needle weaving (all forms of the domestic arts) in my work with a thoroughly modern and whimsical free hand approach. I like hand work because it utilizes the simplest of equipment, and that anyone can do, anywhere. The therapeutic nature of hand work is also a major benefit for my mind.
Textile waste is a major environmental problem. Having worked in the fashion industry, I saw this first hand. Because of this, I pre-dominantly use upcycled and deadstock/post production waste fabric and natural dyes (mainly local tannin-based plants and food-waste) to create my works. My work is informed by the textiles that I collect and dye. I have been collecting vintage textiles from all over- from my travels, op-shops, garage sales and my own wardrobe. I only use natural fibres and am very drawn to silk in all its forms, especially vintage silk dupion.
When it comes to creating, are you more of a planner or an improviser?
I generally have a high-level idea of what I would like to create. Loose ideas, shapes, colours and techniques are jotted down and stored so I can visit them later (or else I will forget) – my brain works faster than my hands!
When it comes to creating the actual work itself – it is very much improvisational, I respond to the textile rather than using a particular fabric for a project. I find there is an area of discomfort that resides in working improvisationally, and it is within this discomfort that some of the best things arise.
How do you manage your creative time? Do you schedule start and stop times? Or work only when inspired?
I try to work Tuesday to Friday 9 -5 in the studio, but this can change depending on what projects are on the go. I also like doing hand work at home in the evenings, this allows me to experiment and test ideas and techniques which will inform my making time in the studio.
Are you a “finisher”? How many UFOs do you think you have?
Large works I like to completely finish, however I do have many works in progress, these are usually small-scale works and studies.
Describe your creative space.
I work mostly from my studio in a large warehouse on the edge of the Maribyrnong River in West Melbourne, Australia. However, if I have lots of hand work to do, I like to do this from home.
My studio is where I have everything I need to create work – sewing machine, textiles, tools, etc. I am a little Bower Bird when it comes to collecting fabrics and hand sewing threads and ephemera.
I am a home dyer, when I use natural dyes I set up at home on the balcony. While this limits the amount of fabric I can dye, I like that it references home dyers of the past. Being resourceful in terms of space and materials is something I like to do because it encourages creative thought.
Every day in the studio is different, it depends on what projects are happening at the time. I generally walk to my studio from home, put on a pot of tea, check my emails and put on some music. This is the regular morning routine. After that, it changes day to day. Some days are admin days with a little making, and others are creating and making to meet deadlines.
My favourite days in the studio are when the day is purely about creating, making, experimenting and playing without an objective or an end result.
Scraps. Saver? Or be done with them?
Definite saver, down to the tiniest pieces! They hold memories of past projects and the resources and labour used to create and dye the textile. I like the challenge of thinking up ways I can use scraps.
How did the pandemic impact your art?
It was a life saver during the lockdowns in Melbourne, I use handwork as a therapeutic tool in my daily life and it helped a lot during that period.
How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?
I am always creating; I like having things to get on with.
Which part of the design process is your favorite? Which part is a challenge for you?
My favourite part of the process is when I am doing hand work because I allow it to take the time it needs, whether it is hand quilting or embroidery. This is when my mind settles down and I do not think about what comes next.
Finishing things that are a little more functional like binding a quilt or attaching labels, etc. I find tedious, but necessary!
I find it challenging when I get to a point in a project and I am not sure how to continue (the challenges of working improvisationally) or resolve the next process. This is when works can linger and stay as a work in progress stage.
Is there an overarching theme that connects all of your work?
Rather than an overarching theme, it’s a process. Patchwork – and what I can do with it to get past the stigma of ‘your nanna’s quilt’.
The technique of patchwork has been used in my practice to piece and build compositional complexities, responding to the materials in a bold and improvisational aesthetic. These patchworks examine the bending of conventional quilt geometries, where half square triangles, log cabins and strip piecing take on a fluid and abstract quality.
How has your creativity evolved over the years? What triggered the evolution to new media/kinds of work/ways of working?
I started out making quilts and other functional/useful products with an art/design influence. While I still make quilts, my practice has evolved to include soft sculptures and patchworks on canvas. The soft sculptures started as an experiment to see how I could use my quilt works in a 3-dimensional way.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Create and make what you want for yourself, there will be an audience for it somewhere if you want.
Where can people see your work?
My website – studiopcl.com has finished works, while Instagram @studiopcl will have a lot of process content.
A new collection ‘Piece-Work’ will be launching and available for sale shortly on @partnershipeditions in London.
Interview posted September 2024
Browse through more inspiring fiber art on Create Whimsy.