LAYERED presents a new collaboration with artist Heather Chontos, transforming her abstract works into a collection of hand-knotted rugs. The collection merges Chontos' dynamic visual language with LAYERED's expertise in textile craftsmanship, resulting in three rugs made from New Zealand wool.
"I gravitate towards abstraction mostly because it feels like a secret language that I am fluent in and that I can translate through color and form. When inspiration comes, I must respond to the impulse to create. I truly can't ignore it - it's like my body is saying 'now!' and I have to do it", says Heather Chontos.
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Heather Chontos draws inspiration from nature and the subtle details of her surroundings. Translating one of her paintings onto another surface without losing its energy required remarkable precision.
"It's more challenging than you'd think to translate a flat surface into another and still retain the feeling. Getting it right is key. I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw the first samples - they truly capture the color, texture, and most importantly the light of the original paintings. I'm impressed by how dynamic they are - they feel almost theatrical, like they truly understand my work", explains Heather Chontos.
Each rug in the Heather Chontos collection takes approximately 5 to 10 days to complete, depending on size - a process that demands exceptional skill and precision from a team of 2 to 3 artisans. With 10 to 15 shades per rug, weavers must carefully switch yarns while meticulously following the pattern. A traditional technique - hand-knotting - have been used to achieve the collection's intricate structure. To capture the depth and color variation of Chontos' paintings, various dyeing techniques have been applied. These include space dyeing, where yarn is dyed in multiple shades for a vibrant effect; solid dyeing, which creates a uniform, distinctive color; and abrash dyeing, which introduces subtle color shifts for a natural finish. Once the rug is finished, the yarns are washed separately, and the final touch is achieved through careful hand-cutting.
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The collection consists of three rugs - Kaleidoscope, Collage, and Blue Lake - based on works from different periods and places where Chontos has lived and worked.
"These works reflect different stages of my process, from creating collages from antique book pages, to painting with oil pigment sticks directly onto linen. 'Collage' is one of my personal favorites - it was created from torn pieces of old film posters and pages from French magazines. I was gifted a suitcase full of antique papers in different colors and textures and pieced them together into a painting. The rug captures exactly that feeling - the textures, the richness of the colors, and their quality", says Heather Chontos.
All rugs are handmade from 100% New Zealand wool, renowned for its high quality, softness, and natural sheen.
"I admire Heather's artistry and her ability to capture movement and energy in her work. Translating that feeling into rugs was a creative challenge that demanded both precision and craftsmanship. The result is truly something special - rugs that are more than just decor, they are works of art in themselves. With this collection, we are raising the standard for what a handmade rug can be", says Malin Glemme, Creative Director and Founder of LAYERED.
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