ARTIST STATEMENT
My hand-stitched drawings are often personal narratives, connecting domestic experiences with the world outside. They are informed by research on the history of domesticity, for example, how household practices relate to public expectations and the interface between what’s inside and what’s out. I also draw and sketch daily and am interested in integrating the speed and looseness that drawing invites with the restraint that embroidery often requires.
In the stitched work, marks and lines meander, coalesce, or nervously bob across the surface, describing a world where domestic objects, vegetation, and birds reside (or die) together. These hand-stitched drawings are quiet and might be considered lacking in skill. They look like something most anyone could do. And, it’s true! Most anyone could! However, I think the humble means, simplicity, and seemingly accidental nature are strengths. What I enjoy most about stitch is working without concern for technical perfection, in more spontaneous or improvisational ways. My intention is to whisper, rather than shout, about the significance of domestic spaces, inviting a slow, considered response.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Susan Moss has been marking on surfaces since a child – paper table cloths, fabric, kraft paper, and archival paper, large and small. She taught drawing and textile art courses at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, for nearly 30 years, retiring recently. Her teaching emphasized fostering student creativity. Moss’s drawings, mixed media work, and spontaneously stitched embroideries have been exhibited nationally and regionally in over ninety venues. Her work was recently highlighted in Uppercase magazine’s sketchbook feature.
© Susan Moss