Q&A

Describe your working progress.
My technique is midway between photography - I use a picture as a base - and vector graphic design. Instead of using a digital vectorization tool, I do it manually using needle & thread, adding and manipulating the picture as I see fit. In the same way that I prefer analog photography, I'd rather use traditional techniques applied to a more modern context.

How did you discover your technique? 
I have always loved handicrafts, and I started mixing photographs I got from newspapers & magazines. However I did not feel the final product was completely mine. One day I thought I could trace the silhouette of a person from a picture by stitching it to a piece of paper. I like the outcome, and I thought this could replace the photograph itself. Then I put them on different backgrounds made out of several kinds of paper and added color with watercolors or colored paper.

Has your process evolved over time? 
I have more or less "systematized" the work so I will probably needle-paint any picture I like and keep them aside for future collages. Then when I come up with an idea of composition, I add colors, backgrounds, and everything else, like in a traditional paper collage. Obviously I have some calluses and my hand stitching has improved a lot, not only technically but also in the sense that I am able to give more characteristic details to the subjects I "draw". You have to select the adequate physical features to depict a person with a few lines so they will have the expression you want to convey.

What inspires you?
Mostly photography as a way to see the world. Many of the greatest photographs ever taken capture mundane situations, but with the proper approach, they become art.  


Working on new pieces for my next exhibition
"Stitches" At Bonnington Cafe
If you're in London drop by to see some of my Stitches.


www.watchmepivot.com
Cat Lady