Emma Seymour is an embroidery artist from Portsmouth, England, who is currently studying an M.A. in Fine Art. She contacted me about her work and I was immediately taken by it.
I asked her to tell me more:
“My work has always been about collecting, documenting and storytelling. I am fascinated by the subtle signifiers in visual storytelling and the emotive responses produced by using certain fabrics and imagery. The time consuming nature of producing hand stitched work is vital in my storytelling- thoughts and images conveyed through intense embroidery.
“The very nature of embroidery as a medium enables me to obsessively produce work akin to the subject I am compelled to examine. The process of laboriously stitching by hand, the time that this involves and the intensity and imperfections of the stitch, effectively demonstrates the essence of the subject or narrative.
“The overall appearance of the stitch is important in as much as allowing the viewer to read the image or text but essentially to appreciate the time, patience and thought involved in its production. The work is autobiographical and touches upon loss, grief and the subsequent effect an individuals actions have over a period of time.”
Emma has created some really interesting pieces and I really enjoy her technique. Many of the pieces have a classic feel about them, which is amplified by the fabric choices. Others reinforce the strength of Emma’s ability as an embroiderer.
The pieces are clever, with a subtle sense of humour, and I really like them. Emma’s work was recently featured in the Art in Mind exhibition at the Brick Lane gallery and you can find out more about her by visiting her blog.
