Lady Slipper Black
Lady Slipper Black, the first piece in the Tropical Garden series, draws inspiration from the vibrant floral customs across Asia, where flowers bring life and beauty to streets and homes. This artwork captures the complex elegance of the Lady Slipper orchid, celebrated for its duality and refined beauty.
The composition is crafted through a blend of hand-embroidery techniques, including intricate stumpwork and Luneville tambour embroidery, resulting in a tapestry rich with varied textures. Traditional Russian pearl embroidery is reimagined here through the ancient cord setting technique, using hand-dyed threads and diverse yarns, including mohair and metallic fibers. These elements add depth, showcasing a contemporary perspective on heritage techniques.
Flat segments embellished with sequins and an array of beads complement the raised, three-dimensional elements, enhancing the visual narrative with subtle light reflections. This interplay of textures and embellishments reflects the diverse flora of a tropical garden, inviting viewers to experience a layered, dynamic interpretation of nature’s beauty.
In Lady Slipper Black, the traditional and the modern converge, creating a unique expression that honors heritage while embracing contemporary art. This piece invites viewers to appreciate the harmonious blend of historical craftsmanship and artistic innovation, celebrating nature through a fusion of textures and colors.
Behind-the-Scenes Inspiration
The concept of a black orchid as a Lady Slipper was an unexpected revelation that guided the color palette and artistic direction of this piece. Initially intended as a test composition, Lady Slipper Black evolved into a fully realized artwork, inspiring further exploration and the creation of an entire series. This first panel captures my experiments with color, texture, and the reinterpretation of heritage embroidery, blending traditional elements with a contemporary vision to reflect a tropical garden’s layered beauty.
Materials and Embellishments
Lady Slipper Black features a diverse array of materials, chosen to add depth and tactile complexity to the artwork. The centerpiece orchid is crafted with hand-dyed mohair, silk, cotton, metallic threads, and synthetic fibers, blending various textures to evoke the lush feel of a tropical garden. The flat segments incorporate 4mm sequins, multicolored threads, and an assortment of glass and natural stone beads, each detail enhancing the layered visual experience and contributing to a couture-level finish.
Embroidery Techniques
This artwork combines multiple embroidery techniques that showcase both heritage and innovation. The large central orchid is created using stumpwork, lending a three-dimensional effect that brings a sense of realism. Luneville (tambour) embroidery, along with traditional needlework, adds intricate details to the surrounding segments. The piece also reinterprets the Russian cord setting technique with hand-dyed, hand-twisted cords of varying thicknesses. Together, these techniques allow for a contemporary take on heritage skills, weaving a story of craft and modernity.
Composition and Design
The composition of Lady Slipper Black combines flat and dimensional elements to create a balanced, visually dynamic arrangement. The central orchid takes prominence, surrounded by carefully embroidered segments and smaller, intricate motifs. This interplay between textured and flat areas invites viewers to experience the piece as both grounded and elevated, echoing the diversity of a tropical garden. Through this composition, the artwork harmonizes tradition with modern expression, offering a thoughtful perspective on heritage in contemporary art.
Tropical Garden Series
The project aims to represent objects from various design areas. Currently, there are interior and fashion design products.
