About
Mariana Baertl is a Peruvian textile artist based in Barcelona. Her practice brings together embroidery, weaving and appliqué to create layered, sculptural compositions using natural materials such as cotton rope, raffia and fabric.
Her work is rooted in an appreciation for texture, organic forms and earthy tones. Many of her pieces draw from the natural world, recalling landscapes, trees, flowing water and other forms found in nature. Through layers, movement and tactile surfaces, she creates works that invite a slower way of looking and a sense of calm.
Mariana's relationship with textiles began in Peru, where she studied Fashion Design. After moving to Barcelona, she specialized in Haute Couture and pattern making, followed by a postgraduate degree in Fashion Business Management at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Her transition into textile art began in 2016, when she started exploring weaving and later discovered embroidery. She was immediately drawn to its freedom and organic quality, a way of working with fiber that allowed her to move away from the precision of fashion and towards a more intuitive form of making.
Today, her practice brings together the technical knowledge developed through her background in fashion with a more instinctive approach to material. She works slowly and directly with the fiber, allowing texture, rhythm and movement to guide the development of each piece.
Her work is ultimately about creating a feeling: a moment of calm, warmth and connection within a space.
“I want my work to create a sense of peace and relaxation. I work with fiber in a natural and intuitive way, allowing the material to move freely and the piece to develop through the process. I hope that same quiet energy can become part of the space where the work eventually lives.”