Workroom: 1.) a room where work is done 2.) a room in a house set aside for a hobby, such as sewing.

Many artists call their creative space a studio; I call my creative space my workroom as a way to connect what I do with the historical workrooms used by professional embroiderers from earlier times.

Even today, fabric designers, embroiderers and other textile artists do their work in workrooms rather than studios. I am proud to be a part of this long tradition. The term ‘workroom’ also comments on the relationship between art and craft. I work in embroidery – a medium traditionally considered to be ‘craft’, yet I think of my work as having artistic merit.

My embroideries are more than just beautiful. They have something to say. . . yet because of the materials I use to express my ideas, my work is considered ‘craft’, or at best, ‘studio art’ .

But craft is a moving target. As artists choose to use embroidery and other forms of fiber art as mediums for expression, the fine art community is expanding their ideas about what is ‘Art’. Textiles, and especially embroidery is gaining respect as an artistic medium. I think this is happening now as more and more embroiderers take their own work seriously.

I want to use this blog to advocate for the inclusion of Embroidery in the artistic cannon. If I can show you an embroidered art piece and explain what it could be trying to say. . . and then, maybe, I can persuade you that this type of work is worth its space in the world of Art, and maybe you will look at a piece of embroidery and see things I never even thought about.

I hope so because that is what Art is all about. This experience will help all of us to recognize the artistic merit of this wonderful medium, and open our hearts and minds to all forms of Art.

As I share my embroidered art with you, I feel it is important to remain tied to the traditions of the past. The embroiderers of yesteryear created in spaces they called workrooms, and I am honored to continue this tradition.

So I say . . . Welcome to My Workroom!