Set of 18 hand-embroidered mini-postcards, 3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches each.

A new series made just for the shop!

I picked up this set of vintage mini postcards (Souvenir Views – World’s Greatest Bridges: San Francisco by Stanley A. Piltz Company) while visiting San Francisco last month. It was an interesting challenge working with such a small surface area, and a lot of fun–especially after the last series of bigger and much more elaborately planned out pieces… which are now also available in the shop!

Hand-embroidered paper collage, 12 x 8-1/4 inches.

Commissioned by Australia’s Yen Magazine

I was asked to illustrate a favorite destination for their travel issue. I chose Montana and created this piece in the predominant style of my latest series, Connotations.

detail

Magazine Spread

Connotation no. 3. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11 x 11 inches.

This new series takes a leap from the minimalist compositions made last year.

Simply embroidering postcards alone, I was able to achieve a wide array of compositions–but ultimately I wanted to work bigger and try more elaborate patterns and shapes with the thread. First, I needed larger imagery, which, most notably in this series, I found in the beautiful pages of 1950s LIFE magazines. A long-time fascination with radial compositions and mandalas led to these radiating layers of geometric collage.

Connotation no. 2. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11 x 11 inches.

Connotation no. 26. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11-3/4 x 11-3/4 inches.

Connotation no. 5. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11 x 11 inches.

Connotation no. 13. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 14. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 8. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 9. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 27. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 12 x 12 inches.

I enjoyed distorting and juxtaposing these mid-century images. It was a challenging series, and I’m looking forward to creating more in this style.

This series debuted in a solo exhibition at Joe Bar in April, 2012. Available works in the shop!

View the whole series »

Connotation no. 4. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 1. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 6. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 7. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 11. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 23. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11 x 11 inches.

Connotation no. 19. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9-1/4 x 8-1/4 inches.

Connotation no. 17. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 12 x 12 inches.

Connotation no. 16. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 6-1/2 x 11-1/2 inches.

Connotation no. 15. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 10 x 14 inches.

Connotation no. 18. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9-3/4 x 6-1/2 inches.

Connotation no. 20. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 21. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 9 inches.

Connotation no. 12. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11 x 11 inches.

Connotation no. 22. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 8-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches.

Connotation no. 25. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 9 x 6 inches.

Connotation no. 24. Hand-embroidered paper collage, 11-3/4 x 11-3/4 inches.

Hand-embroidered archival inkjet print, 10 x 10 inches.

Created for ONN/OF, a two-day art festival of Light.

I was invited to contribute a piece of art and a drink recipe for the Visual Art Happy Hour of the ONN/OF art festival, which was all about providing Light in the midst of Seattle’s generally dreary gray winter. During one of these gray mornings, I took a photo from my living room window. While there was some digital manipulation in the textures of the clouds in the photo, there was not much further color-adjusting necessary–it really was a perfectly flat, gray morning.

I had two archival inkjet prints made of the shot. Still interested in embroidery, I decided to sew up the first, preparing a mandala pattern which generated a sun-like shape.

Das Hermosa Mimosa Platter, mounted archival inkjet print, 16 x 16 inches.

The second print, altered with a set of glowing orbs radiating from its center, served as a platter for the drink portion of my contribution: Das Hermosa Mimosa, an editioned set of mimosa gelatin shots, presented individually in 1.5oz paint containers–wee doses of delicious light and beauty. A tasty little treat, I thought.

Das Hermosa Mimosa, 1.5oz champagne & oj gelatin shot in paint container, edition of 25.

I am happy to report that all 25 shots were snatched up during the Happy Hour. I hope they brought a glow to those who consumed them!

installation detail

installation detail

installation detail

Conformation No. 7. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

A series created for my new shop!

I am very excited to launch a new online shop, featuring this series of nine new oversize postcards.

Conformation No. 2. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 6. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 3. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 8. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

View the rest of the series »

Conformation No. 4. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 9. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 5. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

Conformation No. 1. Hand-embroidered oversize postcard, 9 x 6 inches.

New book available in the shop! Only $20!

Catalog of 57 hand-embroidered vintage postcards generated by in 2011. 36 pages, 80# stock, perfect-bound, 8-1/4 x 5-1/4 inches.

Alterations. Catalog containing all 57 embroidered postcards generated in 2011.

Hand-embroidered panoramic postcard, 9 x 3 inches.

Hand-embroidered magazine (TV Guide, October 1970). 6 x 9 inches. Collaboration with Troy Gua.

A Troy Gua Production

Troy’s latest exhibition, The Sweet Life (Act Like You’re Interested), is a show ‘with many threads’–figuratively with its multiple intertwining core ideas and, with my contribution, quite literally. Troy asked three other artists to generate work for his show. Under his direction [thread], he provided me with a chosen TV Guide cover (after this set), which would rest on the arm of his father’s [thread] old recliner. Surrounding it: trash as art [thread], cleverly-arranged and -manipulated family portraits, art-negating-artworks [thread], and a plastic Jesus swinging from a toy helicopter [thread], among others. If that reads like a mess, it’s probably because it is a little–and it’s a mess I’m very pleased to be a part of.

Holding Pattern (installation view)

The show runs through November 24 at NEPO House in Columbia City, Seattle.

In-progress detail

In progress detail

Alteration no. 32, hand-embroidered postcard, 6 x 4 inches

Alteration no. 46, 4 x 6 inches

Continuing a previous series…

I made this set for an exhibition in London, still attempting to do something different with each card.

Alteration no. 39, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 38, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 40, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 36, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 31, 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 45, 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 35, 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 41, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 43, 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 33, 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

Alteration no. 44, 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

New book available in the shop! Only $20!

Catalog of 57 hand-embroidered vintage postcards generated by in 2011. 36 pages, 80# stock, perfect-bound, 8-1/4 x 5-1/4 inches.

Alterations. Catalog containing all 57 embroidered postcards generated in 2011.

Hand-embroidered postcard. 4 x 6 inches.

An interactive, seven-layer digital collage created for a one week installation at VioletStrays.com, July 22-28

The bottom five layers came from a photo feed that I continually added to throughout the week. Atop this, two randomly chosen graphical elements joined in 900 possible combinations. Each view generates a different final piece, even with repeat viewings.

The version you see above is the final state of the piece at the end of the week. Click it to view variations in the top layers or see details for a few screenshots from throughout the week.

Photos fed via Instagram into the piece throughout the week