eye candy like whoa.

Japanese textile / fashion: Mina Perhonen = amazing! So much print, pattern and embroidered goodness. Yes.

I am sort of taking it easy for the next day or so. Doing personal "research", watching MSCL and cleaning the house for Olivia's residency next month. Also editing photoz for my last critique next week and working on secret projectzzzzzzz; I will post documentation after they are revealed.

threadz are awesomez

While Liv and I prepare to post our first Aesthetic Profile, I wanted to share a few of my favorite embroidery artists since its been the subject of few posts so far. Needle crafts have always been in the fam - my nana crochets (hello CMYK afghan!) and my mom has always cross stitched store bought patterns. When I was prob 10, I did my first cross stitch pattern: a 'lil Scottie dog. Precious, right? Yeah, you know.

I was with my friend Hush Puppy in Austin about six or seven years ago; we walked into the Yard Dog and saw this Bill Hicks piece. He's a super big fan of Hicks (the door is a jar) and I became a super fan of Jenny Hart. We've met a few times since and keep in touch once in a blue moon. (Oh, and I totally pulled an Eli Cash and mailed her an invitation to my undergrad graduation. Oh yes, crazy bones.)

Then there's Megan Whitmarsh. Yetis, Star Wars, Kiss. Need I say more. Lots of other good stuff here from her show @ New Image Art last year.


Dudes who embroider, i.e. Kent Henrickson. I'm spacing on the others. Help me, people. I've been googlin' up a storm - this looks like it was a fun show. Michael Raedecker was in that one... he embroiders on canvas. My dilemma warrants further investigations. WHERE ARE THE DUDES.


OMG. I can't say that I'm saving the best for last cuz I like 'em all, but Dana Carlson has been on my list since forever. Totally a fave. Perhaps in my top 20? 15? 10? Yes. Her sense of color is amazing. Plus all of the animals. I am a sucker for animals and color. Duh.



This could prob turn into The Embroidery Chronicles Part One of Google or something. Cuz I'm leaving people out (tracey emin, ghada amer, kate o'conner, etc) but the post is getting to be on the long side and I'm feeling cranky because I have to hand code the links. So I will share more later.

beauty is an attitude

Pricked: Extreme Embroidery
@ Museum of Art @ Design


I'm particularly interested in seeing Tilleke Schwarz's work. It looks really messy at first but the detail pictures on her website reveal super methodical stitching and funny narratives. Read her FAQ page. I've been clicking around her site and I'd pay the entry fee just to see her work in person. (Maira Kalman is also in the show and her solo exhibition of NYT stuff [see below] is @ Julie Saul gallery through Nov 24.) I enjoyed the radical lace show last year so I'm expecting more of the same if not better. Also: dudes who embroider. Who are not Kent Henrickson. Not that I don't lovelove his stuff but I'm ready to see something else.

Fransje Killaars: Installation: Figures, Colors First
@ MASS MoCA

I'm tired. I feel like there was more but I don't remember.

maira kalman

I was planning to post about one of my other favorite illustrators, Charley Harper, until I saw this documentary. Maira Kalman blogged for a year @ NYT and embroiders stuff, too. Her daughter's middle name is Bodoni. Awesome.