Stitchy Snippets - Tiny Textiles

What do you think of these awesome, minature textile sculptures? They are created by Miami based Fiber Artist, Amy Gross. When talking of her work, Amy says, 'My hand-embroidered and beaded fiber sculptures are my attempt to merge together the natural world and my own inner life. Their symbiosis suggests not only what can be seen, but also what cannot.'

Initially, Amy decided not to use any elements taken directly from nature in the construction of her art, therefore all of the components are artificial. Amy explains that 'If there's a leaf it cannot be a leaf, if there's a twig it can't be a leaf because it's about fake nature and making stuff up ... it's not going to rot or decay.'

Some of the mixed media that Amy uses are: Styrofoam balls, synthetic yarn, plastic beads, paper and photographs. All of the elements are stitched together or connected with glue and many pieces incorporate intensely beaded areas which are extremely time consuming to create.

Here is a fantastic video which gives a greater insight into Amy Gross' work and her inspiration.

Stitchy Snippets - Quirky Curiosities

With Halloween approaching, it's time for some peculiar curiosities of the textile kind. Take a look at these creepy but also charming, little creatures crafted by Annie Montgomerie.

The figures are skillfully constructed by hand using a combination of textiles including muslin, 100% wool felt, ‘up-cycled’ garments, velvet, leather and cotton.

Stitchy Snippets - Bringing Life to Textiles

Textiles that interact and react to nature and its elements. Elaine Yan Ling Ng's collections entitled Naturology and Climatology mimic the gentle and subtle motion of nature and bring life to her textiles. Take a look at this video to see her textile work in action.

Naturology uses smart materials combined with the natural characteristics of wood to respond to varying external conditions. Climatology incorporates 'layers of veneer with fabric, reactive dyes and reflective surfaces to create objects that adapt to fluctuations in light, temperature and humidity.' In her words Elaine's work challenges 'preconceived limitations and increases the potential of textiles.'

A sculptor, weaver and scientist, Elaine has also developed a range of durable fabric that can be moulded into 3D structures and retain shape. This range of textiles uses copper, cellophane and polyester.

Last year Elaine collaborated with Swarovski to create an installation for the Swarovski Designers of the Future Award. Elaine's spectacular piece 'Sundew' is inspired by the tiny carnivorous Sundew plant. The lamp like sculptures are infused with Swarovski crystals.

Sundew for Swarovski

Stitchy Snippets - Drawing Threads

Recently I visited the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester to absorb the beauty of the textile art exhibition on display. One of my favourite pieces was the work of Do Ho Suh, a Korean artist working from London and New York. Suh's brightly coloured thread drawings were molded and stitched onto lush paper creating many textural elements. Originally stemming from 'doodles' Suh produced this body of work whilst working on his residency at Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI).

Do Hu Suh talks about his inspiration for the work. 'It also suggests the life before me, which is the heritage, the history, the culture and the knowledge that has been passed on to me from generation to generation which you cannot visualize ... This is the human relationship I try to visualize with the lines.'

These drawings began as research for sculptures that Suh produced some ten years earlier and through his thread drawings Suh develops those concepts further. 'I was thinking about how we are all interconnected and also the idea of reincarnation and karma. I was thinking about people I would meet or I have met throughout my life ... when you think about it, they are entangled threads. A web of relationships' explains Do Ho Suh. In the work below - Paratrooper-I - Suh has hand-stitched 3000 names and signatures onto linen and draped the drawn strands over the stainless steel paratrooper figure.

Do Ho Suh is well know for his intricate architectural sculptures which are made from transparent fabric. They capture the story of his nomadic adulthood; moving to various continents and cities.

His work reflects his personal journey, the spaces he has occupied and the memories that reside there. Talking about his studio Doh Ho Suh says 'There are so many artists that come and go, and everyday many times a day they touch these things – to flip a switch, to turn the lights on. There are probably many layers of history on the surface of these objects. I want to bring these invisible connections or memories that these daily objects possess.'

Stitchy Snippets - Mister Finch's Faeryland

The fabulous Mister Finch's enchanting hand-sculpted creatures were exhibited earlier this year in New York in his first solo show at the Steven Kasher Gallery. If you haven't seen his collection of fairy tale curiosities already, I warn you it is hard not to fall in love with them.

A predominant theme in his work is nature: rustic fungi that look like they belong in the natural history museum, quaint rabbits, masked birds and bees the size of your head!

“My main inspirations come from nature and often I return to certain ideas again and again. Flowers, insects, and birds really fascinate me with their amazing life cycles and extraordinary nests and behaviors."

The mystical textile sculptures range dramatically in size and are intricately hand-sewn using an array of materials; many of which are recycled. Mister Finch's creatures are born straight from his colourful, imaginary wonderland. He recalls that growing up with Beatrix Potter books and other childhood classics has influenced his textile art.

"British folklore is also so beautifully rich in fabulous stories and never ceases to be at the heart of what I make: shape-shifting witches, moon-gazing hares and a smartly dressed devil ready to invite you to stray from the path. Humanizing animals with shoes and clothes is something I’ve always done and I imagine them to come alive at night, getting dressed, and helping an elderly shoemaker and a tired housewife.”

I had never considered before that an eclipse of moths could be so stunning!