When I approached the sewing machine to be my potential media, I spent countless hours learning how to use it, getting angry at it, being in meditative bliss, suffering frustration, and after finally breaking it in, it was as if I had found my soul mate. Through my own stubbornness in wishing to not use the machine for its more traditional function, I now push this once practical instrument to its limits. My intention is to approach the use of stitch placement from the perspective of a painter. With the careful placement of sewn color gradients and layers, I am able to express depth, and color “mixing” as well as having the ability to achieve texture through directional changes. I refer to my product as “embroidered paintings”.
I emphasize that I do not use a computerized machine because my goal is to create something a computer, or programmable machine, is not capable of. This technique is exciting to me because it is not commonly practiced and I enjoy training myself in something that leaves a lasting impression on my audience and keeps people asking questions.