Exhibiting in group show

This, this and this will be in the upcoming Art of Fiber exhibit at Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia. The show runs from November 23rd to December 31st, opening reception is on the 25th from 5-7 PM. I won't be able to attend but if anyone is around the area please check it out for me and let me know how it looks!

New

This is the largest piece I have yet completed in embroidery, 6 1/2" x 6 1/2". Actually I think there is another one with the same size, but not as dense. This one is completely filled solid with stitches.
It started out with the central figure based on an image from an old 50's French cheesecake magazine. Then I had a flash of late 60's comic book sci-fi influence. Then a PBS show about chickens happened. Then all hell broke loose, literally. The human figure plummeting through the demonized depths on the left side is myself.

What I have been trying to avoid is too much use of a black outline on things to define them, to pull them out of the background. I want to make everything look 'painterly'. Adding a black outline looks too 'cartoonish'. I have nothing against cartoon imagery but I just want things to look more painterly. But I couldn't avoid using black outlines in this one.

This piece took too long. I think my stitching may be slowing. Maybe I have reached 'stitching Nirvana' and I no longer am aware or care of the passing time. Nah. Next one is going to be smaller.

Exhibiting in group show

I will be showing this piece and this piece in "in-organic", a group show of fiber artists curated by Jennifer Hunold at Collar Works Gallery in Troy, New York.
The show runs from August 26th to September 16th. Opening reception is on Aug. 26th from 5-9 PM. I plan on attending.

From the press release:
"in - organic showcases how fiber has become a dominant medium of choice by artists across the country. With innovative adaptations to historically rich techniques and materials, these sixteen artists are invigorating these mediums with new perspectives and applications. in - organic includes a range of works that integrate fiber with painting, sculpture, drawing, assemblage/collage, and installation, while addressing topics that range from the body to politics, memories to the environment. These textile works -- previously allocated to the periphery of artistic dialogue as kitsch, craft, or hobby art -- are gaining recognition with a captivating energy that is recontextualizing traditional notions of “craft.” The exhibition draws work from coast to coast, including California, Montana, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York."

Stitching in the Park

This is basically what I do on weekends in the warmer months - take my current hoop, needle and threads and venture out. This is Prospect Park Brooklyn.

Backs

I know I've admitted before that the backs can be more beautiful and interesting than the fronts.
Here we have, in order, the back of this one finished.
Next we have the back of this one finished.
Finally there is the back of one of them, not sure which, when it was in progress.

Interview at Mr. X Stitch

I was interviewed for the "eMbroidery" series (which centers on male embroiderers) over at Mr. X Stitch.

Thanks Jamie (AKA Mr X Stitch)!

Gay for Eagles Show

You can go here to see and purchase some of the work at the group show I am currently in.

Exhibiting in Group show

I will be exhibiting this piece at the Hotel Hadley Studios group Fiber Art show "Gay for Eagles".

The show runs from April 15th to May 14th at Hotel Hadley Studios in Siler City, North Carolina.

Thanks to curator and fiber artist Drucilla Pettibone for accepting my work into this exhibit.

I will probably not make the opening but I will be there in spirit!

Finally finished

This took me around 4 months to do, maybe more. It was the longest I ever worked on a single embroidery. I got so tired of it at one point that I took a month and a half 'off' and worked on something else. I think the main problem was that I went on top of the area of black thread on the right half with the 'invisible' monofilament thread, and it was very difficult because the monofilament got buried a lot. Sometimes it would take 2,3 or 4 stitches before anything would actually become visible. I explain this dilemma and other problems in a series of videos that I recorded during the 'making' of this piece. The first one can be found here and they continue on in subsequent posts. I also have the full collection (except the first one) as a playlist on youtube called "New Hoop".
Total size is about 5 1/4" x 5".

New embroidery

I decided to make a plan and do small embroideries (2.5 x 3.5 inches), one a month for this entire year. This took me about a month and a half. Oh well. I'll try some more.
This photo is thoroughly inadequate.