Julie Rosvall creates captivating prints with knit swatches that capture the textures and details of the fiber art.
This interview was originally published in the October 2024 Digital Edition of Crochet Foundry Magazine.
Julie Rosvall, an Atlantic Canadian textile artist and printmaker, learned to weave in Saint John, New Brunswick, and moved on to spinning, dyeing, knitting, and printmaking in her current home of Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
She uses the medium of printmaking to preserve texture and pattern. Rosvall knits swatches of found patterns or complete lace shawls and starches them to begin the process of capturing their textures and details on paper through collagraphs and soft ground copper etchings.
Rosvall was one of The Rooms / Parks Canada artists in residence from May 29 to July 10, 2024. She connected with local knitters, used found objects in the park to knit and print and experiment with natural pigments and ink making, and reconnected with a past Newfoundland based knitting project that she worked on back in 2010.
Hello Julie, welcome to the Crochet Foundry Community, we are looking forward to getting to know you!
Please give us a little intro into who you are and what you do.
Julie Rosvall, an Atlantic Canadian textile artist and printmaker, learned to weave in Saint John, New Brunswick, and moved on to spinning, dyeing, knitting, and printmaking in her current home of Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
She uses the medium of printmaking to preserve texture and pattern. Rosvall knits swatches of found patterns or complete lace shawls and starches them to begin the process of capturing their textures and details on paper through collagraphs and soft ground copper etchings.
Rosvall was one of The Rooms / Parks Canada artists in residence from May 29 to July 10, 2024. She connected with local knitters, used found objects in the park to knit and print and experiment with natural pigments and ink making, and reconnected with a past Newfoundland based knitting project that she worked on back in 2010.
Which came first, in your life anyway, printmaking or knitting? How and when did you learn them both?
Like many young girls I learned to knit at an early age, but never really kept up with it. In my 20s I was inspired to learn weaving from my next-door neighbour, which led to spinning, dyeing, eventually back around to knitting again when a partner and I started a yarn shop. We initially thought we’d be catering to weavers and spinners, and quickly realised we needed to up our knitting game, as there are way more knitters out there.
Printmaking would have also been something I learned in school at an early age, and really enjoyed in my grade 9/10 art classes. I put it aside for many years, picking it up again when I saw it as a way to use my knit lace swatches.
What inspired you to mix the two?
I’ve always had an interest in mark making. After seeing the work of Betty Goodwin, who printed bird’s nests, packages, vests and gloves, I was inspired to explore soft ground etchings, as she did, with my knitted swatches. Creating works that preserve the texture and say to the viewer the fabric should be revered and documented.
Through my explorations I have built a body of work that uses a variety of printmaking techniques to transfer knitted swatches to paper.
From your site, it’s clear that community, especially the art & craft community, are important to you. How do you foster that community and what do you enjoy most about it?
I’ve always loved bringing people together, whether it was a piano recital for my best friend in high school, or a Land Rover Rally in my 20s, I was always organising events. When I moved to Nova Scotia, I first became involved with the Potluck Spinners and Weavers, and the Atlantic Spinners and Handweavers, so I naturally started helping with community events within the craft community. I eventually took on a position with Craft Nova Scotia, and spent 19 years organising fundraisers, exhibitions, and large craft shows.
I love seeing new connections being made within arts and craft communities, as well as across industries. The last exhibit on I was involved with for Craft Nova Scotia was all about collaborations, so a youth orchestra and a quilter; an ecology action group and a textile artist; a photographer and a jeweller. The creativity that is sparked through collaboration and community is extraordinary.
Do you crochet as well, and if not, do you have any plans to learn to crochet, or get someone else to crochet some pieces for your print creations? We promise to still think you’re amazing if the answers are all no.
I have crocheted a little, but would have to relearn every time I’ve picked it up. I do see the possibility of making small items to print myself, but more likely I’ll use found objects, or collaborate with one of the many talented crocheters out there.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
Obviously, you need to find what you love, whether its process, materials, or whatever inspires you to create. I look at things from two perspectives. If you want to make your artistic work your career, be prepared to learn about business, and plan to either find ways to source professional help for aspects of your art business, or learn systems to keep your business organised so you can still be creative. If that all sounds like it sucks the creative energy out of the room, what about just create for the sake of creating? Find a way to sustain your life financially (that hopefully you love), and carve out time to be create in your spare time. An artist who does it for the love of it doesn’t have to be a business too.
Who or what inspires you and your creations?
The what of what inspires me is pattern and texture. Knit lace swatches and shawls make incredible prints on paper.
The who are all around me. Every time I meet someone new, have an inspiring conversation, see someone else creating interesting work, I am inspired to try something new, or pick up a project that I’ve put aside.
What do you like the most about being an artist?
Being surrounded by talented friends and community members.
Where can our readers find you and all your amazing art and products online, and maybe even offline?
My work will be featured in the Fall 2024 issue of Where Women Create.
Julie Rosvall
Textile Artist and Printmaker
P.O. Box 2324
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
B4P 2N5
www.rosvall.ca
c. 902-691-1493
Twitter, FB & IG @julierosvall