*My* First Embroidery

So many of you proudly share your first embroideries with me, I thought I would show you my first embroidery. Most people seem know that my work in embroidery began with a portrait of my mother (yes, her name is LeJean), and ask me about this piece -so here it is. It was stitched in the summer of 2000, while I was staying with her. With nothing to do one evening, I asked her to teach me to embroider. It was something I had wanted to try for a long time, because I loved the way that it looked and wanted to begin using it for my artwork to experiment with unusual themes and large portraits. I'd never seen embroidery like that before. But, I didn't know how to do it, and I didn't think I would enjoy it. Ah, the importance of trying new things. A true obsession ensued, aided by a deep need for a soothing activity at a time of great stress. I wanted to get others excited about embroidery too, for the same reason I was! The result is this website you now are perusing.

Here is the photo of my mom from 1952 that I worked from: