A few months back I was part of an interview with Mr X Stitch and we spoke briefly about cross stitch and how it’s classified by people. Now, the discussion is still out on whether cross stitch is art or craft however today we wanted to look at those artists out there that are pushing cross stitch as an art medium, and helping to champion our craft.
And I don’t just mean things like the fine art cross stitch book!
 

Jordan Nassar

Jordan Nassar uses his Palestinian heritage to stitch most of his works in tatreez (Palestinian cross stitch). Historically motifs didn’t come from patterns but were passed down through families on the mother’s side, meaning every piece of work has the family signature. Using these cultural traditions and key modern elements from his upbringing in New York, he stitches works that help people to connect to their own heritage
 

“Palestinian embroidery really has it all, geometry, superstition and magic, social cues, family and village associations, embellishment and more.”

Check out an interview with Jordan Nassar for more.

Ana Martins

Urban cross stitch graffiti is hardly new, however rarely is the artist approaching levels of famous as Ana Martins (often going as “Aheneah”).

This Lisbonian artist quickly established herself with large and modern street murals made to actively deconstruct, decontextualize and transform the traditional technique of cross stitch into a modern graphic medium.
 
Check out an interview with Ana Martins for more.

Nils Viga Hausken

Norwegian artist Nils Viga Hausken has worked in a variety of mediums, but in the last decade, much of his work has been cross stitch.
 
Nordic cross stitch has a long and illustrious history, so Nils tries to play with his designs, taking cues from the traditional past, whilst taking mundane and humorous items to stitch.
 
Check out an interview with Nils Viga Hausken for more.

Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene

Lithuanian artist Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene has been mentioned many times before on our site, as her work has always inspired us, but don’t let that take away from her art, which not only stitches on found objects in an effort to subvert traditional embroidery culture but brings to attention often serious messages.

Check out an interview with Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene for more.

Know of any other cross stitch artists? We’d love to feature them, so drop us a line below!
 
Happy stitching!
Lord Libidan