Artist: Michaela Johnston

A hand loom with woven fabric.

BA Textile Design
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London

Michaela is a contemporary textile designer and craftsperson.

Michaela’s practice investigates each element within the production process of woven textiles, exploring the potential for developing sustainable, circular ways of working that do not generate needless waste. Michaela’s hand-spun yarns are created from new and known fibres and coloured with her own natural dyes, which she makes from foraged and homegrown materials. She weaves her fabrics on handlooms, jacquard and homemade back strap looms. Motivated by functional, purpose-driven design, her working processes simultaneously look to the future and draw upon production methods from the past.

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mitextiles_

A small loom with woven fabric.
A woven fabric with muted natural tones.
Spools of hand-spun thread.
A long woven strip of fabric.

In:Site 2022

Michaela is one of 20 artists who were selected to show their work at In:Site 2022. The event took place in spring 2022.
Find out more about the other artists.

Michaela Johnston offered an opportunity to try weaving and spinning using natural materials in her project Woven Communities. The public were invited to play, experiment and explore how the materials perform and behave as you weave them in her onsite weaving studio. Drawing attention to the natural world and our dependence on it, Michaela’s project highlighted the connections and support that shared spaces and creative activities can bring to communities.

a close up of woven fabric and yarns
A man sits at a spinning wheel creating his own spool of yarn
a hand holding a spool of thread working at a weaving a strip of fabric
A woman holds up a strip of woven fabric next to a weaving loom


Where Next?

Artist: Francisca Onumah

Francisca was part of In:Site 2014

The artists uses a hammer to stamp metal.

Artist: Jessica Hargreaves

Jessica was part of In:Site 2015

The artist crouches over a memorial stone as she takes a casting.

Artist: Ryan Dilkes

Ry was part of In:Site 2019

The artist sits on a bench surrounded by furniture made from discarded wood.

Artist: Stefanie Cheong

Stefanie was part of In:Site 2013.

A pine cone with gold decoration on a string.


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