I decided, for my piece, to use my stitching skills (which are limited) and make some yarn art. This weekend, I went to JoAnn's Fabrics in Placentia and bought some yarn, fabric, needles, and a big wooden stitching hoop. I like going to JoAnn's because I don't really fit the profile of their typical customer, which is older ladies.
I like stitching images on fabric because it looks very handmade, it's colorful, and I think yarn is probably the most non-threatening medium out there. The focus of this art show is to celebrate the ordinary lives of same-sex couples and I thought making a stitching that is vaguely reminiscent of something your grandma might make for you would convey this message effectively.
So last night, I started stitching.
I decided to stitch a portrait of one of my favorite American writers, Allen Ginsberg, and his long-time partner, the poet Peter Orlovsky. I took some photos along the way, to show you my process.
As any stitcher knows, making art this way is a time-consuming process. You can't just draw a line. You have to carefully make a series of stitches, until an image starts to emerge. It's a slow process, but with the right music, it can be relaxing and fun.
And here I am with the finished piece. I'm no master stitcher, but I think the piece conveys some sense of the ordinary life of this same-sex couple.
Be sure to come to the exhibit on May 3rd, 2013 during the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk. I think marriage equality is one of the major civil rights issues of our time. What an art show like this can bring to the conversation is the sense that this is not just an abstract political or social debate, but that it affects the lives of millions of real people and their families. Hope to see you there!
