"Long-tailed Tit" Drawing

Bridging the binary logic of the loom with the organic nature.

My work is an exploration of structure, rhythm, and the hidden grids that define our world. Whether I am working with a digital Jacquard loom to create architectural 3D textiles or using charcoal to capture the fragile plumage of a bird, my foundation remains the same: the grid.

Coming from a background in structural weaving, I see the world through the interlacing of threads and the binary language of pixels. In my recent large-scale drawings, I translate this textile logic onto paper. By breaking down organic forms into modular panels or precise squares, I invite the viewer to see nature not just as a subject, but as a complex, "woven" construction. From the high-tech looms of Tilburg to the quiet observations of ornithology, my practice is a lifelong search for the balance between technical precision and the untamed beauty of the natural world.

Artist Biography

Tone Hellerud (b. 1953, Norway) is a visionary artist whose career is defined by technical innovation and a deep-rooted connection between ancient craft and natural science. A graduate of the National College of Art in Oslo (MA, 1991), Hellerud established herself as a pioneer in structural weaving, developing techniques for weaving diagonals that allow textiles to be folded into complex 3D forms.

Her work is deeply informed by the historical link between weaving and the origins of computer technology. Her expertise led her to the renowned TextielLab in Tilburg, Netherlands, where she created diagonal structures that transformed both traditional and digital techniques.

Since 2014, Hellerud has translated her textile sensibility into painting and large-scale drawings. Following a 2020 residency in Switzerland (a pivotal period of isolation that sparked her "Corvus corona cornix" series), her practice expanded into monumental works using pencil, charcoal, and soft pastel. Commuting between Norway and Italy, Hellerud’s work has been exhibited globally, from Nagoya and Kyoto, Japan, to the Arte Laguna Prize in Venice.