Studio Challenges

Studio Challenges let me explore and play with techniques, media, and concepts. Some challenges I do alone, some I do with colleagues and some make their way into my art.

Exploring Embroidery on Paper - 2025

This is the end result of a 30-Day Studio Challenge  with colleagues from the Surface Design Association. Each day I randomly choose an emotion (from 30 preselected emotions, 15 positive, 15 negative) and stitched an interpretation of each emotion on 6″ x 6″ paper using black, white, and/or a third color floss. See each stitched emotion up close.

Embroidery on Painted Fabric - 2024

I call this studio challenge Embroidery Doodling. I began with white cotton fabric and used acrylic paint to create a base on which to stitch. It is ‘doodling’ because there’s no design or pattern…just following my intuition.  

Embroidery on Painted Fabric - 2023

I was inspired by the colors of my cat Trumann (shown to the left). He’s white, grey and beige with yellow eyes and a pink nose. I began by painting cotton fabric with found objects dipped in acrylic paint. Then I cut the fabric pieces and reconfigured and stitched them together to form a 14″ x 23″ piece. Using grey, beige, yellow and pink floss, I embroidered on the painted fabric.