There’s been a lot of forward motion in the studio over the last week. Here’s an update on the main things I’m pouring into:

On The Hoop
I’m working with that fiddly dissolvable fabric, meaning progress is even slower than normal. But! I seem to have honed my technique a bit and now things are moving a little faster.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this piece will be unlike anything else I’ve done. In fact, it’s not even a portrait! What I’m stitching is small but the final piece will be much larger than anything else I’ve done, too. I’m really hoping it works the way I’m picturing it!

On The Keyboard
I’m working on a novel. I’m excited about it and it’s going well and I’ve made a lot of progress on it this week. I don’t want to say anything else, just wanted to share that I’m writing and delighting.

On The Desk
I am continuing my “art studies” after having finished “The Artist’s Way” with another book: “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.” It’s another classic that you’ve probably heard of. I’m nearly halfway through and I’m loving it!

It’s making me glad I’m not working on a portrait because I feel like the things I’m learning are going to change how I work.

On The Side Table
For fun, I’m reading a book by Clare Hunter called “Threads of Life.” Holy moly. Everyone should read this book! It’s textile and embroidery focused and wow does it cover a lot of ground.

It is beautifully written and the information is fascinating. My introduction to embroidery was very “Wild West” (I was introduced with no rules and like to say I just stab things until they get prettier) and because of my perspective on the art, I tend to forget that there’s an ancient history to it.

“Threads of Life” has renewed my sense of wonder at the artform and deepened my reverence for stitching. I’m sure it will inform my embroidered works in the future.

If you’re into stitching history/books, I read another book last year called “Subversive Stitch” by Rozsika Parker that chronicled the history of embroidery, how it became a “woman’s craft,” and how it has since been used for political movements and advocating rights. This was a read that certainly ignited my passion and lead to a complete change in how I viewed my own work. Without it, the “Lie Swatter“, “Pandemic Portrait“, and “Dr Fauci’s Burden” might never have been born.