I’m a huge fan of girly feminist embroidery projects. I even make some myself. That’s why when I stumbled upon Mo Morgan’s sassy but honest embroideries, I absolutely fell in love.
I have a soft spot for embroidery activism. Maybe it’s the juxtaposition between the quaint, dainty art-form (with its stitched-in associations to the domestic housewife) and the bloodthirsty history of the women’s movement. The rich history behind both feminism and crafting make Morgan’s modern day blend of the two so much more than just cheeky decoration.
I was so enamored of Morgan’s pieces that I got in touch with her to shower her with compliments and ask about her work.
Morgan hails from Denver, Colorado and says that the embroidery hoops “weren’t intended to be much. Just an outlet for my more negative, everyday feelings.” The artist explained her process in a statement:
“… I made the [hoops] mostly out of creative frustration (drawing is my usual artistic outlet, but I’m very critical of my illustrations and can be extremely self-defeating about them). So my embroidery is sort of graceful expression of residual teenaged angst. There’s a presence of very blatant sarcasm to most of my hoops. Very, just, like, [exaggerated groan], y’know? There’s also all the pretty little leaves and flowers everywhere that make the designs more kitschy and palatable. They’re like little bubbles of stitched vulnerability, all dainty and somewhat haphazard, but trying their best to relate to someone – be it aesthetically or personally. I’m hoping to express more than just my grouchy-grumpiness through my embroidery in the future.”
Mo Morgan says that she doesn’t currently have a shop up and running, but she plans to have something by the end of the month. You can find the rest of her embroideries on her tumblr.
Artists like Morgan not only inspire people to redefine the meaning of arts and crafts, but also to express their thoughts about the world creatively. Let’s get our stitch on, ladies and gents!
Images courtesy of Tumblr.
