I've admired Sorcha O'Raw's incredible goldwork pieces for a while now, so I asked her a few questions about how her embroidery journey started. Here's what she said:
1.So, first of all, where are you based?
Dublin, Ireland
2.What first got you into embroidery?
I got into embroidery in my last year of school. I'd done a continuous line drawing of a prop skeleton, I loved the drawing and wanted to do something more with it. I loved making things with my hands and had recently been making kind-of 3D drawings out of wire but this was too complicated for that. I thought why not draw it out with thread? I was hooked after that.
3.How did you learn to stitch?
My approach to embroidery was a bit sideways, in the beginning I treated it as painting with thread rather than a new medium. I picked up a few stitches in college and techniques such as tambour and goldwork while interning at Hand & Lock after graduating.
4.What is your favourite technique?
Goldwork and Tambour have been my favourites for a while but I'm beginning to miss my 'embroidery roots' of the silk shading type technique I began with.
5.What is your favourite subject matter?
I tend to embroider things and people rather than flowers or abstracts.
6.Why do you stitch?
In the beginning I got really into it because I loved the colour control you got with thread, no stressing trying to mix more paint to match the colour you were just using! I've always thought of it as a combination between painting and sculpture. I love image making but I also love working with my hands and embroidery to me is the combination of the two. I also love working in miniature and am very detail orientated which translates really well into embroidery.
7.And lastly, where can we find you?
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sorchaoraw/