Welcome, my fellow makers and lovers of all things needlecraft, to another edition of ‘Exploring Etsy’. Like a big international open studio Etsy can transport you to talented makers from around the globe at the touch of a button. With my craft passport in hand, this week I’m travelling across the Atlantic to show you the work of New York based maker Sarah K Benning. Her self-titled Etsy shop ‘SarahKBenning’ is full of unique and inspiring stitched creations.
Originally from Baltimore, Sarah attended Baltimore School for the Arts before moving to Chicago to complete her BFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. She now lives and works in Upstate New York, primarily producing small hand-stitched hoops, cards and paper embroideries, with, in my opinion absolutely stunning results. Exhibiting her work throughout the United States and abroad Sarah emphasises process, pattern and colour in her work, aiming to create accessible and affordable pieces for the home.
What is your earliest stitching memory?
My earliest memory of sewing is when I was 7. My mom and I made a quilt for the birth of my cousin. In high school I worked as an intern in the costume shop at a theatre in Baltimore. I was pretty sure I wanted to be a fashion designer…Of course, that has changed and late in my BFA career at SAIC I found my way back to the thread and needle as a way of creating textures and surface patterns on paper.
What fires your imagination?
I repeatedly drawn inspiration from the natural world, both microscopically and macroscopically. Much of my paper embroidery and more commercial home decor hoops are derived from organic patterns ranging from cellular structures to rolling hills in the landscape.
All of her beautifully structured embroideries are utterly captivating, vibrant and full of energy – your eye can’t help but be drawn to them. The fab pieces featured in this post are just a small selection of her wonderful work. Why not give your eyes a real treat and check out her shop now and see all the other goodies for sale.
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Jessica Taylor aka Loadofolbobbins is a Textile Artist and Illustrator based by the sea in Portsmouth. At her happiest with a needle and thread, with a passion for genealogy she often explores old photographs in her Textile art. With her fingers in many creative pies she loves to experiment with new techniques, creating illustrated and stitched goodies for her new Etsy shop.
