Julie Powell

In my stitched works, I merge two worlds: that of fiber and that of painting.  Textiles are my starting point. I want to create a new form- taking stitching to a different level, beyond craft or function. I build layers of thin washes of paint with brushes on canvas, followed by dense stitching on the sewing machine with hundreds of colors of threads. The technique is called free motion stitching and I use an ordinary machine, run very fast and moving in different directions. I stitch on the sewing machine as I would paint- spontaneously and without planning. I use the threads like paint, creating a patina and texture. I stitch and layer, surface upon surface, color upon color to build up this dimensional effect. I am interested in abstract compositions with a graphic quality to make a strong statement.