At Tres Chic Stitchery we are interested in new techniques and artists with unique points of view expressed through stitches. We will be featuring an artist each month and sharing their backgrounds and thoughts. Our first artist is from South Africa, Danielle Clough. "As a photographer-designer-vj-embroiderer, Danielle Clough has lived a life forever bound to the hyphen." Danielle was born and lives in Cape Town, South Africa. She is a commercial artist who studied visual, graphic and digital art. She is also interested in music including South African street culture and has performed with local artists. She is a creative force and we are so pleased to share her work.
We asked Danielle to answer a few questions for us:
1. What inspired you to work with embroidery?
I found embroidery through a sequence of mistakes and opportunities. My mother taught me to sew and while studying I would make plush toys for friends. I would stitch basic details onto these toys. One day, bored at my weekend job I found a needle, thread and scrap piece of felt at the bottom of my bag from the toys. I 'doodled' a rabbit with the thread, and was hooked. I kept doing these 'thread-sketches' and only later realized it was embroidery (and had been intact been around for centuries, my poor ego). I feel lucky, like I stumbled onto the art form by accident.
2. Your work is so painterly. Which artist do you admire?
I am in love with the work of Ivan Alifan at the moment.
3. What advice can you give people who love embroidery but are afraid to experiment?
My advice with anything would be to find that part of the process that you enjoy and indulge in it. Don't compare yourself. Craft should be about the act of making, not the out come. Once you take that pressure off, theres nothing to be afraid of. You will mess up and prick your finger but if your not making mistakes your doing something wrong. Which means your making a mistake. Which means your fine.
For more information about Danielle Clough and her work visit her website: Danielle Clough
Danielle Clough