Lola Cervantes, ARTIT’s People’s Choice Landscape Artist of the Year 2024, is a Mexico-born artist and researcher currently based in Finland. Her textile-based practice navigates the intersection of human experience, landscape, and material culture, drawing on local resources, ancestral craft methods, and embodied memory. Rooted in both academic research and artistic exploration, Lola’s work with wool, natural dyes, and Indigenous-origin techniques reflects a deep commitment to sustainability and cultural continuity. In this interview, she speaks about the influence of the Arctic on her evolving concept of landscape, the importance of collaborative making, and how craft can serve as a bridge between ecological awareness and artistic innovation.

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Your work deeply explores the relationship between humans, nature, and territory. What initially drew you to this intersection, and how has your perspective evolved over time?

Since I was a child, I was fascinated by geography and maps. In addition, I have always been interested in how materials connect through craft processes and methods that engage learning through making, but this path, towards this specific human-territory intersection has become more evident during the recent years, while living in the Arctic, as all my creative processes have taken me to an imaginary realm of mental landscapes, or how I like to call them, mindscapes. I am focused on these concepts and I try to interpret space and embodied experiences of landscape through my artworks, because that I how I try to make sense of the world.

You work extensively with wool crafts, natural dyes, and local materials. Can you share how these mediums allow you to address sustainability and Indigenous Knowledge in your art?

I have been working on research projects focused on the innovative and sustainable use of wool in crafts at the University of Lapland, and within these projects, I have been experimenting with local wool fibres and ancestral methods to colour textiles. I have been focusing on Indigenous-origin techniques and materials, such as Mexican cochineal and corn dyeing. By working with wool and natural dyes, I am honoring ancestral coloring techniques and wandering through the territories of material and historical connections. In my works try to use as much as possible, locally sourced wool; I have worked on researching native breeds of sheep and came across contacts of local farmers and crafters from who I acquire the wool. My academic research is also focused on the use of wool to support craft collaboration, rural economies, and services using wool, all this, trying to address issues of sustainability, ethical wool and the wellbeing of the sheep.  Through my textile work, I have the opportunity to talk about these topics, with the hope that the art world would transition into a more ecologically friendly use of materials, for example, natural fibers and pigments. I realize how this can sound limiting, but then, when I think about the future of our planet —which is almost every day—, I´m convinced that I want to do art that is sustainable and respectful to the environment.

As the People´s Choice ARTIT Landscape Artist of the Year, what does the concept of ‘landscape’ mean to you, and how do you approach it in your creative practice?

For me, landscape is something abstract and intangible. It can be a spatial, emotional or mental realm of something that I perceived through my senses, then had a chance to process, and after that, became a “place” that I can access as many times as I want, through memories or imagination; Being specific places evokes feelings, thoughts.  You can go to any place in the world, look at the view from a window, or walk in the nature and see an ocean or the mountains and think, “what a great landscape” —because the whole world is made of landscapes—, but I like to think of the concept of landscape, as something intimate and personal as well, something imaginary, or a mix of both, ultimately, a landscape can be anything. In my artistic practice, I try to combine both personal and lived experiences with experienced places —and because every human being perceives things differently, the possibilities are endless—; I usually go through a processing phase after being in a place, and in this phase, I engage with the emotions, thoughts or visual cues that the place evoked in me; after that phase, I focus on interpreting these embodied experiences of landscape through materials, forms and colors. I visited the Faroe Islands last autumn, and I am still processing it, hoping I can craft some artworks this spring!

Collaboration is central to your practice. How do you integrate community participation into your creative process and what have you learned from the communities and individuals you’ve worked with over the years?

I collaborate with other designers, artists and researchers, collaboration is complementary to my practice, as it encompasses processes and dynamics that spark and nourish my most personal practice. I tend to engage with other people through workshops, and participatory craft encounters. For example, in my work, I arrange and invite participants to co-create narratives and develop artistic expressions together, for example, workshops that support learning through making.  An example of this collaborative process is when we gather to dye wool in our embroidery collective, we share materials, space and insights about ancestral wisdom, and very often we write about our experiences in academic articles. This has shaped my way of working by opening my possibilities, and a little bit helping me to get rid of the fear of failure; working with others has helped me to embrace experimentation in my own work. At the same time, collaborating with others allows me to access alternative ways of seeing and approaching craft, and also, the dialogue that takes place within these communities often enhances the sense of belonging to a place and the sense of purpose.

You have exhibited in diverse regions such as Mexico, Hungary, Slovakia, and Finland. How do cultural and geographical differences influence your work and research?

Places shape a person’s identity. We humans grow attached to our places of origin; however, psychogeographical factors can have an effect on us, by, for example, attracting us to opposite contexts. For example, I, as a person coming from a semidesert in central Mexico, have positively impacted the way I perceive my current life in the Arctic. Travelling has had a huge impact on my work, I have experienced different natures, biomes and landscapes, from desert to forest, from tundra to tropical ecosystems… This has expanded my vision of the world. This has allowed me to form a set of skills and techniques, and helped me form bonds with different environments.

How do you see the role of artists and art associations in addressing ecological and cultural issues in today´s world?

I think the role of contemporary artists in communicating environmental and societal issues has become more important and necessary; I see many artists addressing important issues and inspiring people to become aware of these topics. For example, in my case and other cases that are close to the artistic spheres where I network, people are using art to address cultural heritage and incorporate traditions that are at the edge of being forgotten due to globalization. Art is also becoming more participatory, as people need changes from their policy makers, and by holding on to communities, artists have more possibilities of making their voices heard by wider audiences to demand such changes. I believe art can be political, and specially in these times, we need art that addresses cultural and ecological issues. Many artists are now working together with researchers to produce at that advocates for systemic change.

In what ways can art and design act as a bridge between the past and the future, preserving cultural heritage while fostering innovation?

There are many possibilities to link the past and future while preserving cultural heritage and innovation; craft-based art is a field that allows the integration of ancestral methods and techniques into contemporary pieces, by adapting historically used materials such as natural fibers, wood, stone, with new technologies and design tools, such as 3D-modelling and laser cut machines. This relationship between the past and the future, is very important to preserve, as very often, forgotten practices that are considered sustainable can offer solutions for contemporary challenges. The bridge between craft and art can give space to new techniques and methods, new aesthetics and solutions to global challenges, and even create opportunities for artists to develop artistic pieces that are also useful. As a designer-artist myself, I have always felt divided by the need to create beautiful decorative artworks or useful design pieces, and now I am very drawn to create pieces that advocate for environmental awareness, so I have found the intersection between craft and art, as a field where I can merge all my interests.

What inspires you most when working with traditional crafts, and how do you balance respecting traditions while experimenting with contemporary ideas?

When working with traditional craft processes such as wool dyeing, I get inspired by many things. First, by the materiality itself, as a very tactile-oriented person, the texture of wool soothes and offers me a sensorially-soft shelter in a world, often dominated by hardness, in all aspects, materials, technologies, work-life dynamics, societal constraints… Wool has helped me to ground when I experience anxiety or stress, and also has helped me to realize the powerful connection we humans have with nature, animals and plants. It is a material with so many possibilities and so easy to work with during many hours, (just ask a knitter!). Secondly, there is a very inspiring historical context around wool, as it has been used for thousands of years, since early humans learned to domesticate sheep and get their fibers to create non-woven textiles to protect themselves from the weather. Another reason that inspires and continues to motivate me to use these fibers, is that using what is locally available is deeply rooted in harmony with the natural cycles, and that resonates with me as I attempt to create meaningful and ecologically respectful work. I try to always honor the traditions, learn about the background of certain processes, try to understand the cultural significance around it… For example, I might use an arctic mushroom to color some yarn that I will later use to craft a piece related to Arctic swamps…

Art and craft often connect people to their environment. How do you hope your work inspires others to reconnect with nature and local materials?

My pieces reflect on the environment I experience on a regular basis, the Arctic; I am captivated by its flora, fauna, fungi, and the endemic plants that I interpret through pieces such as The Wetlands, a piece that calls for a deeper appreciation of the Arctic swamp realm and a commitment to its preservation. With other Arctic-related pieces, I seek to raise awareness on Arctic issues and inspire action to preserve our natural world. I wish that my work resonates on a sensorial and intellectual way, so applying aesthetic elements is a very important part of my process; by creating colorful and soft pieces inspired in nature, I hope that my work encourages others to connect with their own natural environment.

What advice would you give to emerging artists who want to work at the intersection of art, craft, and sustainability?

My advice would be to get deep into sustainability to understand your own local resources, what is available in your region? — then is easier to implement locally available and renewable resources, and align your practice to these materials. Another piece of advice is to embrace the concept of slow making, nature´s cycles, seasonal colors, and all traditional-natural crafts are in line with these concepts. Traditional crafts offer cultural significance and deep connections to nature, so it is a great way to start this path by studying your local historical crafts. And lastly: Spend more time outdoors. Nature is the ultimate source of inspiration, and its influence on creativity is invaluable!

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Through slow processes, community engagement, and a sensitivity to local ecosystems, Lola Cervantes redefines what landscape art can be. Her approach is both tactile and conceptual, blending material research with emotional and environmental narratives. As she reflects on memory, place, and the cultural relevance of ancestral techniques, her work becomes not only a visual experience, but an invitation to reconnect—with craft, with nature, and with each other.