As human beings we are always looking for ways to celebrate our lives.  Some take pictures, others paint portraits, few write autobiographies, and a select bunch have embraced immortality through embroidery.  I know, I know, what is all the hullabaloo, what is exciting about embroidery?

A new generation of embroiders are on the rise, exploring the many facets of life through the employment of embroidery that arouse the senses through their depiction of beauty, love, loneliness, sadness, joy, and pride.

Gintare Pasakarnyte embroidered the beautiful photographs of Lithuanian photographer Ausra Osipaviciute. Though the pictures themselves are beautiful, the embroidery adds that punch of the unexpected which makes these pieces breathtaking.

Orly Cogan’s work focuses on the many relationships we have in our lives.  Below are two cracker-jack pieces that both depict strengths of the bachelor-woman, alone and magnificent.  “The character Cogan creates is sort of a 21st-century female Hugh Hefner in much scantier pajamas. The trick here is that she’s Playboy centerfold and playgirl all at once. She gets to keep her cake and eat it too.” – Margaret Hawkins- Chicago Sun Times- January 2, 2004

Busy Barbie

Bachelor-Girl

Then we have Ginger Anyhow who has cleverly figured out how to immortalize those timeless text messages of love and loss.


Last, but certainly not least, we have Joetta Maue whose embroidered textiles illustrate our simplest desires. The contrast between the delicate vintage fabrics and the bold statements portray the constant struggle between the drive to achieve our desires and the possibility of failure.

The Textile Arts Center is fortunate enough to have Joetta Maue teach an Autobiographical Embroidery class. Each student will design their own sampler with a water-soluble marker, using their own unique handwriting or provided stencils. We will discuss the creative use of diaristic writing and daily life documentation to create your own art while looking at examples if contemporary fiber artists and learning traditional stitches and embroidery basics. Students are encouraged to work with found, inherited, or vintage linen as their base. Feel free to bring stencils and quotes that you would like to include in your sampler.

Feel free to sign up for this exciting course on our website.