Riverside Collective is a working studio and retail space comprised of five resident artists, as well as rotating guest artists. We want you to get to know the range and depth of our resident artists and makers, so we've asked them to answer a few questions for us. This month: Joyfaring, the work of Chris Nygren.
What inspires your art?
The sacred pause — those moments when we slow down and reconnect with what matters most. Nature, ceremony, and story guide every thread I weave.
How does Saxapahaw influence your art?
The Haw River and the old mill roots remind me that weaving is about relationships with place, people, and nature. Creating in community here shapes my art.
If your art could speak, it would say…
I feel alive with intention.
I need to be touched and used.
I am your companion for sacred moments.
What’s your favorite tool?
My loom — it’s more than a tool, it’s a meditation portal.
What’s one thing non-weavers don’t know about your art?
Every thread and every pattern carries an origin story and its own special energy.
What idea are you chewing on right now?
“Seed to cloth” and even “weed to cloth,” working with local flax and kudzu. It’s my way of aligning with slow, local fibers.
Are you a rebel with your art?
Yes — I rebel against speed and mass production. My weavings are made slowly and mindfully to hold what matters most to you.