Cecile Jarsaillon is an multi-faceted artist from Lille in France. She does a million different things, but I’m going to focus on her embroidery.

She takes photo images and satin stitches across them with great effect.

The subject matter of her current work revolves around images from a safety manual, and is wonderfully dark. The simplicity of the stitching is given extra effect by the changing tones of the photos underneath them; it works really well.

By stitching over these pieces, it embues them with a homespun charm that juxtaposes nicely with the content matter. At first glance, the pieces could sit quite happily in your grandma’s house. On second glance they most definitely could not.

Check out Cecile’s world at her blog. Her work is being exhibited at “Sur les Fils” which is in Lille until 22 November, and then in Sete from December to May 2010. The show also features Mr X Stitch favourites Orly Cogan, Jenny Hart and Richard Saja among others, and looks to be unmissable.

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The Cutting (& Stitching) Edge is brought to you in association with PUSH: Stitchery, the contemporary embroidered art book curated by Jamie Chalmers. Featuring 30 textile-based artists from around the world, it’s a must have for needlework fans.