We sat down with alumna Eileen Morley (B.F.A ’23) to discuss her life after graduating! Eileen is an artist and knitter from Richmond, Virginia. The form of a pattern, slant of an increase, and loops and bumps of knit and purl stitches are the main language in which she addresses time, and textiles.
Her work has been exhibited in Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft Competition, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, and ADA Gallery, as well as the Icelandic Textile Center. She received her BFA in Craft and Material Studies with a minor in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University and recently completed an MA in Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London, U.K.
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What made you choose VCUarts over other schools—and was there a moment when you knew it was the right place for you?
The decision was actually very simple, and almost made for me: I didn’t get in anywhere else that I wanted to go. I grew up in Richmond and went to high school down the road from VCU, so I had been resistant to the idea of staying so close to home. Looking back, I was incredibly naive to the gift of having VCUarts in my backyard, and I see my somewhat chance decision to go there as nothing short of a blessing. I realized about two years in, when I was able to look around and feel like I was a part of the arts community, and show it to friends who had moved for school. VCUarts and the ICA, organizations like Studio Two Three and the Visual Arts Center, and my very own high school—Maggie Walker—formed a kind of cradle that supported me and gave me opportunities to support others throughout my time at VCU.
What themes or ideas keep showing up in your work (or research)—and what fuels your creativity today?
It took a while to make the connection, but now I know that riding my bike is what fuels my practice. I spent my years at VCU and in Richmond pedaling everywhere—to the studio, to work, to the river, and up and down and up and down Broad Street. When I moved to London, the frequency of my rides picked up, and so did my need to make. The time on the bike is not only how I process my thoughts and allow my mind to wander; it’s also where I find a lot of the materials that I work with. The found objects, collections, and, of course, textiles are the vocabulary of my practice
Looking back, how did your time at VCUarts shape your creative journey and career path?
In some ways, VCUarts did very little to change the path that I was on, because I was always going to take it. What my course and time at VCU did was shape the way in which I work, emphasizing care, craft, and community above the prestige or perceived prestige of making contemporary art. Being from Richmond, it was four years’ worth of building even stronger bonds with the people around me in the school and outside of it, in the community. I’ve realized that this time was invaluable in giving me a foundation on which to go on to do other things.
How would you describe your art style in 5 words or less?
Knitting, cycling, and asking questions.
What’s next for you—and what should we be watching out for in your upcoming work?
My graduate visa in the UK has just been approved, allowing me to stay here for another two years. It’s challenging and exciting to find a community in a new place. I have a new studio, a couple of commissions, and some ideas for shows, but I really need to work on applications! I’d also love to spend some time as a technician at an arts university here. And…the question about recurring themes made me think of text and word art—something that I worked on a lot while at VCU but might warrant a revisit soon…
