Art

As I mentioned earlier, Renegade Handmade in Chicago is having a group show called In Stitches and since I just did a workshop and book-signing there, I got to see the work up close and personal. Short of blogging each person individually, I will give you the warm satisfaction that comes with discovering these artists on your own with helpful leads to some new favorites of mine (and I'm going to blog more individually. Be sure to keep an eye on Embroidery As Art too):

Minature Rhino

Pidge Pidge

Gillian Bates

Lucky Jackson

Link to all the artists and info on the show

A few years ago, someone sent me a link to Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel, Embroideries. Her other books and film, Persepolis are much-better known and I finally read all three of her works this fall (thanks, Elli for loaning them to me!). Embroideries is a work apart in that it deals exclusively with the women in her family sitting around for a ritual of drinking tea and telling secrets and sharing gossip. While "embroidery" could refer to the embellishment of the stories, it has a much more specific meaning that is related by one of Satrapi's aunts. I'll have to let you find out for yourself what "embroidery" means to them.

Link to Satrapi's Books

Related: The Subversive Stitch

On my flight home from France last week, I saw an article about Etsy in the in-flight magazine. It was illustrated by Lizzie Finn and I had to follow up and learn more about her embroidered illustrations. I especially like this piece she did for Vogue.

Link

Tonight is the opening of Over & Under, a show of stitches that I was invited to curate for Yard Dog Gallery here in Austin. I'm really, really excited to have all this wonderful work in one place like this, for the first time in Austin. I want to thank all the artists who enthusiastically participated and made it all possible.

This week is the opening of Fils Croisés at Galeri LJ in Paris, the second group exhibition of contemporary textiles that I'm participating in (last weekend was the opening of Sur le Fil in Lille). Curated by Adeline Jeudy, this show includes works by Sandrine Pelletier, Jenny Hart, Céline Cléron, Birgit Dieker, Anne Geoffroy, Olivier Kosta-Théfaine, Valérie Newland et Yaze.

Fils Croisés
Galerie LJ, 12 rue Commines, Paris
opening: Thursday October 15 at 7pm
(show continues until the beginning of Nov.)

My mom is coming over for the opening! I'll have six works on display: three embroidered pieces and three drawings (like the portrait above). Last spring I began a series of portraits of high school classmates. Instead of doing any actual embroidery, I began drawing the stitches around the portraits for embellishment. A solo show of these portraits is slated for June 2010 at Domy Books in Austin.

Wish you could be here! But, you probably can more easily make it to Over and Under in Austin, which is happening next month!

I just got back last night from Lille, France (oh, how I wish we had high-speed trains in the US) where I attended the opening of "Sur le Fil" a huge group show of "deviant textiles" that included three of my pieces, along with mind-blowing works by artists from all over the world. Representing the US were artists: Orly Cogan, Richard Saja, Elaine Bradford, Mark Newport, Ray Materson and Andrea Deszö.

One of the most interesting things about being there was staying in the artists' residences and learning about their history. Lille used to be the center for manufacturing thread (poetically fitting, don't you think?). The museum (called Maison Folie de Wazemmes or, "crazy house of Wazemmes") and the residences, two buildings that face one another a long alleyway, are housed in the former factory buildings. The significance of the venue was not lost on any of us.

embroidery by Skart collective

I will be blogging about works by individual artists from this show over on Embroidery As Art many of whom I was previously unfamiliar with -so keep an eye over there. And, as if that weren't exciting enough, there are two more group shows of contemporary needlework coming up (one curated by yours truly) and I'm gonna blog separately about those. Because hey, don't you want to go see my pictures from my trip?

In case you were wondering what I'm working on, it's this portrait of Lou Reed for an upcoming show in Paris. In case you were wondering what other stitchers are working on, you should totally follow me on twitter where I've tweeted some wips (works in progress) by sublime stitchers! 

This photo by Erin Darcy certainly caught my attention. My mother will say to me with horror "You hold your needle in your mouth?" any time she catches me. But, it seems the most natural place to put it for those moments when I need both hands. I really love Erin's photo. It captures this simple moment so, simply. Link

Erin's site is: www.starvingartistink.com

Above is the Valentine Jenny created. Sooooo sweet huh? You can see it up close on our flickr page, and you can buy it for $4 during the last week of January at Fred Flare!

Inspired? You can submit one too! This is how it works: You create a Valentine and mail it to Fred Flare at 300F Kingsland Av, Brooklyn NY 11222 by January 15. They hang it up in the store / sell it online for $4. And all benefits go to the Elder Craftsmen program! Easy.