Madalina Mihutoiu

Docent textiel

I fell for rug-making because I like working with my hands and being close to the material, but also because it became my own way of illustrating. I basically see it as drawing with yarn. Translating an idea from pen to fiber always brings something unexpected; it never turns out exactly like I planned, and I like that.

I love the texture, the tactility, and the fact that natural fibres come from animals, plants and the land. I'm interested in what the material can do, how it behaves, and how it responds to touch and time.

And most of all, I fell in love with how versatile rug-making is. Almost anything you can imagine can be made with fibre, just in a different way of thinking and building.

For me, teaching is really about human connection. I prefer to move around within the group rather than stand in front of it, and to create space for everyone to figure out discover what they enjoy, what suits them, and how they want to work.

I like to foster an environment where everyone is learning from each other, sharing knowledge, and creating together. Curiosity, experimentation, and individual expression play a central role in the way I approach my class. Techniques are best learnt when you make them yours.

What I like about teaching is that no two groups are ever the same. I meet different people with different motivation and inspiration sources, different ways of thinking and making.

And I like seeing people surprise themselves when their idea or plan clicks, or when someone discovers a technique that really works for them.

I am a Romanian illustrator and textile artist who graduated from the Minerva Academy in Groningen with a bachelor in Design. Next to that, I work as a teacher and program coordinator for Stichting de Vrolijkheid in Assen, where I put together a creative program for children, young people and their families in the AZC.

In my studio on the Paradijsvogelstraat, I work a lot with different rug-making techniques. I often rely on non-electrical tools used to hook rugs in order to create textile illustrations. Alongside that, I do beadwork, digital and analog illustration and weaving. I like to combine several of these techniques in one work, letting them overlap and respond to each other. Birds and traditional masks are a huge source of inspiration for me

Recently, I'm proud for learning how to weave on a TC2 loom as part of a collaborative project focused on sustainable and circular textile design using recycled fibres in the north of the Netherlands. I worked with recycled fibres there, including yarn made from old jeans and yarn dyed with Fanta bottle caps.

I'm also so proud of all the reactions I've witnessed during workshops and courses I've held. Seeing people happy, excited, emotional, curious, confused while learning; it's all part of experiencing making something new. And it goes without saying, but I always feel proud when I see what people end up creating.

I'm really inspired by Jamie Hewlett. I love the worlds he builds in his illustrations and comics, from Tank Girl to Gorillaz. His drawings feel very alive and energetic, like they're constantly in motion.

I also get a lot of inspiration from Olivier Schrauwen and Simon Hanselmann, each in their own way. They both push what comics can be, visually and in how stories are told.

Outside of illustration, I'm drawn to wood sculpture and totem-like forms. Artist Arghavan Khosravi inspires me a lot in terms of shape and color.