Sampler 1935 - 1942

William Kieckhofel stitched this sampler, sometime around 1820, but it could have been started at any date before that. The neat rows of letters and numbers up top look like pure practice, but the way they hover above the collection of imagery underneath has a beautiful, dreamlike quality. Looking closely, you can see how dense the stitches are, creating an almost velvety texture to the thread. Notice the range of imagery: birds and beasts, a cross, people, and floral arrangements; a whole world of symbols rendered in tight cross stitches. My eye is drawn to the lobster on the left – it has an odd, compelling presence. Stitching is all about the process: each tiny X building up to the final picture, a bit like my approach to painting. This piece reminds me of the work of contemporary artist Ghada Amer, who uses embroidery in a subversive and political way. Both artists offer us something to think about in relation to the handmade, and its ability to convey both skill and emotion. In art, after all, it’s not just about what you see, but how it makes you feel.