This week, we’re honored to feature the work of Cedric Vu, a multidisciplinary artist based in San Jose, California, whose tufting journey blends curiosity, personal narrative, and technical exploration. Though he only picked up a tufting gun in October 2023, Cedric has already developed a unique voice in the tufting scene. One that’s as thoughtful as it is tactile.
A Practice Rooted in Exploration
Cedric’s entry into tufting was part of a broader creative mission: “In 2023, I made a long list of mediums I wanted to explore, and tufting was one of the first I tried. I immediately took to it.” That spark quickly evolved into a dedicated part of his artistic routine. “Fun to touch, fun to look at”.
A Portrait of Process and Self
His featured work is the first in a self-portrait series, which began as a way to sharpen technical skills but quickly grew into something deeper. The piece is based on a striking photo of Cedric wearing a gas mask with a flower tucked behind his ear—a quiet, surreal moment captured while he was building his first tufting frame.
“There’s a meta quality to it,” Cedric explains. “It captures both the process of learning tufting and the start of my artistic practice in this medium.” The series became a milestone not just in technique, but in self-reflection.
Looking ahead, he plans to expand on these themes—continuing with self-portraiture while also collaborating with others, inviting them into his work as subjects.
Challenges in Color, and the Future of Access
The biggest challenge in Cedric’s process wasn’t the creative side of tufting, it was sourcing his materials.
“Most of the challenges I faced were related to sourcing yarn, especially getting the right colors.” Since his series involved multiple skin tone shades, even a single missing color could pause the process for weeks.
“Sometimes I had to wait up to a month – And with Joann stores closing across the U.S., that’s only going to get harder.” It’s an issue many textile artists are facing, and one that’s prompting Cedric to rethink how he approaches color and planning in future pieces.
A Learning Series with No Regrets
The series of self-portraits took eight months to complete, from February to October 2024, all while balancing full-time work and commissions. Despite the hurdles, Cedric wouldn’t change a thing:
“I treated it as a trial period to learn what I was capable of rendering in yarn. I’m really looking forward to what I can produce in 2025 now that I’ve refined my process.”
Follow Cedric’s Work
You can explore more of Cedric Vu’s thoughtful and evolving textile work on Instagram @cedvu and TikTok @cedvuu. His art invites you to look closer—not just at the finished piece, but at the process, the person behind it, and the stories waiting to be told in thread.
