When I was approached recently to create a Ginkgo branch artwork for a commission it was like all of my Christmases and come at once. It’s no secret that I love stitching Ginkgo leaves, they are arguably one of my most iconic design motifs. I love any project that calls for a visit to Ginkgo town.
In this post, I discuss my design process and how I developed this particular Ginkgo branch design. I hope it will be interesting for those who are curious about that specific aspect of my practice.
Meredith with her ‘Corallimorph Circle’ - October 2021
There are some projects that come my way that I am just super excited to work on, and this large Corallimorph circle was one of them.
Earlier this year I was asked to be a part of a very exciting project that was both a challenge and a delight.
It was explained to me as a project that brought art and science together in a beautiful way. Naturally, I was intrigued.
Several years ago while hiking in Tasmania with my husband and then 18-month-old daughter I was quite taken by some strange little plants we encountered on the track. They were tiny plants that grew together tightly, forming their own little world.
It was a delight to be interviewed by Irina from fiberchats about my work, practice, courses and family life juggle. Watch the full interview below.
I was delighted to be approached by ‘Art Insider’ recently. They have taken some of my Instagram footage and turned it into this cute little video that sums up my work and practice nicely.
I am delighted to share with you the stories and amazing artworks created by some of my students who participated in the Sculptural Embroidery online course in this series of videos.
Let’s talk about working with a baby in the studio.
To say that working alongside a baby is tricky is the understatement of the year. I have had this little lady as my constant studio companion for almost a year now and it has completely changed how I operate in the studio.
When I began the first piece in this series I was playfully referring to it as my ‘‘coral donut’.
That was a pretty terrible name so I asked the lovely folks on social media for some better suggestions and they came up with some great ones. After narrowing it down to a killer shortlist I put the best name ideas to a vote on my social media and through my email list and ‘atoll’ was the clear winner.
When I first started doing this kind of embroidery I really didn’t know what I was doing. I was just a keen kid with a sewing machine and a lot of creative curiosity.
With over 15 years under my belt as a working artist I feel like I have gotten to a point where I can confidently reflect upon my career and look at things I wish I had done from the start. Art school really didn’t prepare me for the business side of being an artist and I have a pretty big list of things ‘I wish I had known’ as a result.
In the hope of making things just a little bit easier for any budding artists out there; here are my top three things that I wish I had started to do right from the start of my career. I believe that if you get these things sorted early on you are setting yourself up for a much smoother ride on this crazy art business journey.
Meet one of my new favorite artworks!
Surprise, surprise, it’s another ginkgo circle arrangement.
You know I love these kinds of designs and I am not going to stop making them any time soon. But I am really excited about this one in particular because I have managed to capture something that I have been trying to depict for years. More on that in just a little while.
Thread loading isn't the sexiest topic around but this little bit of sewing machine theory may make all the difference to your sewing and embroidery.
This video discusses the different machine thread types (cones and spools) and explains the best ways to load them onto your sewing machine for stitching success.
This video is a part of my ‘Sculptural Embroidery’ online course where we explore freehand machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric. It’s a course I am very proud of.
If you are interested in learning more about my online courses visit the link below.
When I first stared doing this kind of embroidery I was a pretty clueless 21-year-old who barely knew her way around a sewing machine.
I was at art school, doing my honours year and I had chosen to focus my whole year of study on the exploration of freehand machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric.
My '100 Embroideries Project’ was exhibited at the Milk factory Gallery in August/September 2020. During my visit to the show I took a few photo’s and made a little video which you can see in this post. I hope that it will serve as a ‘digital gallery visit’ for those of you who couldn’t make it to the exhibition in person.
Phew … the 100 Embroideries Project is finally complete. Watch the little video in this post where I chat about the project. Then read on to learn about the exhibition, how to purchase these pieces, limited edition prints and a few more little insights into the project.
In this post I chat about how I got organised for my 2020 solo exhibition 'The 100 Embroideries project. I discuss what specific tools and systems I use to create inventory lists, portfolio's and exhibition catalogues quickly and easily using the artwork archive inventory software. These little things help me stay organised and it really impresses the galleries I work with.
I am delighted to have been interviewed recently by the lovely Sue from ‘Stitchery Stories’, the textile art podcast. We chatted about how I got started with embroidery, how I find inspiration, my favourite pieces and what I am currently working on.
In this little video I discuss the basics that you need in a sewing machine to do freehand machine embroidery. Spoiler alert - you don’t need much at all.
When people ask me what technique I use to create my artworks, the simple answer is ‘Freehand (or free motion) Machine Embroidery’. This wonderful technique is basically a way of drawing with your sewing machine. In theory it is a really simple process but it is so versatile and also somewhat addictive.
Here is a video where I explain what Freehand machine Embroidery is.
