“Seaworthy,” a mixed media sculpture created in collaborative partnership between Adrienne Shishko and Suzanne Moseley for MOSH Studio. Finding cohesion between contrasting themes and disparate objects, such as the reclaimed fishing nets and Nespresso pods used to create this artwork, is a hallmark of Adrienne Shishko’s work. Read on to find out more about what drives her creative process.
For Boston-based mixed-media artist Adrienne Shishko, life is “a constant negotiation between order and chaos,” a belief that is deftly reflected in her work. We connected with her to find out more about the ideas and traditions that inspire her, and about her creative process. Her art, we discovered, stems from a distinct perspective on sustainability and the environmental impacts of consumption, blended with a bit of inspiration from the women of Gee’s Bend.
In this interview, Shishko shares her thoughts and experiences on how both abstract concepts such as heaviness and lightness, order and chaos - and the very real, everyday concerns about consumption - converge, and directly influence her art.
“My work [treats] fabric not merely as a surface, but as a three-dimensional medium capable of expressing modern anxieties around consumer waste, sustainability, and human connection.”
Beginnings
Shishko began her career at Saks Fifth Avenue, rising from the merchandise training program to assistant buyer for 50 stores nationwide. Despite the creative appeal of the role in the glamorous field of fashion, she grew uneasy with fashion's role in driving overconsumption. Eventually she pivoted to a position as legal counsel at an environmentally responsible investing firm.
We asked her how these two careers helped shape the way she looks at fabric and consumption.
Of her work at Saks Fifth Avenue, she explains: “I quickly grew uncomfortable with the industry's reliance on driving hyper-consumerism. I knew I didn't want to be a part of that cycle, but I never lost my love for the beauty of textiles.”
Elaborating on her work as legal counsel, she says: “Pivoting toward sustainability, I took my environmental values into the legal field. I helped launch an environmentally responsible mutual fund, investing solely in companies committed to ecological stewardship. While my legal career was brief, it was incredibly rewarding to back businesses that took financial accountability for their environmental footprint. The experience opened my eyes to how corporate structures inherently prioritize the bottom line over the planet - a perspective that continues to influence my viewpoint today.”
Process
Just as with her career pivot, Shishko’s creative process involves pivoting between contrasting themes. We asked her about her thought process behind balancing these contrasts within her artwork:
“Life itself is a constant negotiation between order and chaos, and my creative process mirrors that tension. Visually, I love the friction created when contrasting materials and weights meet. I like to balance dense, tightly woven clusters of fabric against fluid, loose, and open space that allows the piece to breathe."
Her creative process, she states, is "highly intuitive, sort of a call-and-response interaction with the materials. I build up layers until the work feels almost chaotic, and then I use repetitive gestures to edit and quiet the piece and to introduce some order. It’s about finding that sweet spot where a piece feels grounded yet dynamic all at once.”
“A frayed edge, an unusual weave, or a faded pattern isn’t a flaw, it’s an asset.”
For Shishko, finding the right materials to represent disparate concepts is a communal effort. Shishko’s fiber sculpture work is built from reclaimed clothing and linens collected from her community, being “entirely community driven” and “[relying] heavily on word of mouth.” She states: “I frequently utilize local Facebook "Buy Nothing" groups to source specific colors and fabric types directly from my immediate neighborhood, and friends constantly pass along pieces they no longer wear. Together, these contributions transform my studio into an ever-evolving archive of discarded textiles.”
How does she decide what’s usable from the mass of contributed textiles? She explains: “When deciding what is usable, I look past standard definitions of "good condition." I find deep satisfaction in breathing new life into a beautiful, yet stained or damaged garment that would otherwise be considered unwearable. I am drawn to texture, color, and structural flexibility - a frayed edge, an unusual weave, or a faded pattern isn’t a flaw, it’s an asset. I analyze how the fabric moves, how it handles tension, and how its palette interacts with other elements. From there, I rip, paint, dye, sew, and layer the materials, building a final composition that I am happy with.”
“Textiles do not need to be pristine to be monumental”
Learning about Shishko’s collection and evaluation process, we were curious about if and how the history of a garment influences the resulting artwork:
Q: You've described your fiber sculptures as carrying the history of the people who once wore or used the fabric. How does a garment's past life influence the subject of the resulting art or what you ultimately decide to transform it into?
A: “Fabric is deeply intimate; it sits against our skin, moves with our bodies, and absorbs our daily lives. When I handle reclaimed garments, I am incredibly aware of the ghosts of their past - the memory of a favorite shirt, a worn-down pair of denim, or an old tablecloth that hosted countless family dinners. The original shape, seams, or signs of wear on a garment act as an informal roadmap. Instead of forcing a rigid concept onto the material, I let the fabric guide me. If a textile feels heavy with history, it might become part of a dense, grounded structure. If it is light and ethereal, it might be teased out into a more fluid installation. I see my role as giving these dormant human narratives a secondary life.”
Inspiration
Shishko’s work is not only driven by community. It is part of a generational conversation. She credits the quilting tradition of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, in particular, as an inspirational force guiding her work.
Of the Gee’s Bend quilting tradition, she states: “The women of Gee’s Bend completely redefined American abstraction through an act of pure resourcefulness. What speaks to me most is their incredible geometry, improvisational use of color, and brilliant ability to spin beauty out of domestic necessity and scarcity. Beyond their visual mastery, these quilts are filled with the profound personal histories and lived experiences of their makers. They proved that textiles do not need to be pristine to be monumental.”
“I see my work as a direct nod to that legacy,” she continues. “Like the Gee's Bend quilters, I rely entirely on intuition and structural improvisation rather than rigid, precise templates. My work joins that generational conversation by treating fabric not merely as a surface, but as a three-dimensional medium capable of expressing modern anxieties around consumer waste, sustainability, and human connection.”
What's Next for Adrienne Shishko
Looking forward, Shishko has some exciting events coming up. Throughout November and December 2026, Shishko, together with her collaborative studio partner Suzanne Moseley, will be exhibiting their work under MOSH Studio at Babson College in Wellesley, MA, Additionally, they will be returning to the prestigious Château d'Orquevaux Artist Residency in Orquevaux, France this September for a three-week session. “Having had a phenomenal experience there two years ago, we are absolutely delighted to be invited back to continue our work in such an inspiring setting,” she exclaims.
A little further out, Shishko is thrilled to share that she is “planning a milestone museum exhibition for 2030 at the Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University in Framingham, MA. This extensive show will be uniquely structured to feature both our individual bodies of work alongside our dynamic collaborative installations as MOSH Studio.” Very exciting, indeed!
Make sure to mark these events on your calendar to view Shishko’s work in person. See below for more information on how you can learn more about her work, view her portfolio, and receive updates.
Visit adrienneart.net to view Adrienne Shishko’s full portfolio (including her work with MOSH Studio) and to learn more about her artistic process. Follow her on Instagram: @shishkoadrienne and @MOSHstudioart for updates and announcements.