Lauren DiCioccio

Recently, I heard Leah Kramer of Craftster.org mention the work of Lauren DiCioccio. I really love these organza embroidered works that re-create the ubiquitous "Thank You" plastic bags. Something we touch so little and hardly think of as more than trash becomes a work that took so much time to create. Wonderful.

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Forget-Me-Not Show NYC

I'm woefully behind in my blogging and had meant to post about the opening of this show! Gallery Hanahou currently has a Valentine's-themed exhibit of contemporary works in embroidery by some of the best and brightest working with the needle. I was kindly invited to participate and regretfully couldn't! Oh, to be everywhere at once. Curated by Kristen Rask of Schmancy. The show runs through February 27th.

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Outre Gallery Benefit - Art Fights Fire

There is a fundraising exhibition called Art Fights Fire at Outré Gallery being planned to benefit those affected by the catastrophic fires in Australia. I will be donating this piece, "Pink Birds" and will post more details about the show as I have them. We are also donating a portion of purchases made on Sublime Stitching to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeals.

ETA: This benefit is being organized by the Kaotic Kraft Kuties and full details are on their blog:

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Whip Up: Man-broidery

I wrote a brief article for Whip Up about men working in embroidery. Hardly an exhaustive representation of dudes who do the stitching around the house, it's just a little post I wrote that starts like this:

Man-broidery. Boy-broidery. Guy-stitching. Bro-broidery. Whatever you call it, guys are (and always have been) doing it. You know, embroidering! Wielding the needle! Marking the muslin! Poking the pillowcase! Splitting the stitch! Which is fantastically awesome. I say: there needs to be more men embroidering. And it seems that there are.

Read the rest of my wee article on Whip Up:
Man-broidery by Jenny Hart

Related: Mark Frauenfelder and Mr. Jalopy embroider too!

Bill Hicks - Ars Longa, Vita Brevis Est

Several of my very good friends have been contacting me in the last week to let me know that David Letterman aired the previously censored routine Bill Hicks performed on "Late Night With David Letterman" many years ago, shortly before his death.

Realizing my portrait of Hicks isn't anywhere on my site (which is currently being re-built) I thought I'd post it here, although additional work to this piece has since taken place. It measures 28" x 23" and is difficult to photograph or scan due to its size. The words embroidered are the last two stanzas of a poem Hick's wrote, which was unpublished at the time this piece was created (special thanks to Charlie Sotelo for giving me access to his archive of Hicks' letters and writings).

For all who've watched with mounting horror
Evil's reign upon this world grow ever clear
For all who've cried in vain "Emancipators!"
Wielding swords of truth
And laughing without fear.

Link to a Hicks rant (NSFW)
Link to Wikipedia on Bill Hicks

Marc Dombrosky

Stitching on paper is such a delicate task. Marc Dombrosky reproduces found drawings in embroidery on paper.

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