Arctic Circle

Artist Statement

Alyssa creates her designs with paper and pencil – symmetry and mathematical pattern are often explored alongside nature and wildlife. She uses a domestic sewing machine to create the surface, first stitching the design outline with the work upside down and then turning it to fill the spaces with colour, moving the work by hand to place the stitches precisely. Alyssa uses reclaimed and vintage household linens as a background for stitch and has a vast collection of different machine threads to use, often blending two colours in the needle. The surface is completely covered by stitch, with form suggested by careful changes of direction.