Influenced by art history, sacred geometry and the city of Florence, embroidery artist Kellin Nelson stitches geometric patterns in gold thread over her abstract watercolour paintings. The resulting pieces have the jewel like quality of a precious Renaissance artefact, expressed with a uniquely contemporary vision.
In this interview, Kellin writes about her influences, her interest in sacred geometry, and life in Florence during the Covid pandemic. She also shares some words of wisdom about creating art and her approach to plagiarism.
Can you describe your embroidery art and tell us about your materials and practice
I work primarily with paper, adding hand-sewn geometric patterns and details to original abstract paintings. My work speaks to my interest in both historical and contemporary art. I blend geometry, scientific illustration, and mapping methodologies with abstract forms. As a result of this hybrid approach, I have referred to my collection as “curious,” a term that originally meant strange, bizarre, or uncanny. I am drawn to these mixed images because they juxtapose different kinds of knowledge: the familiar becomes unfamiliar, the old can feel new. I am attracted to any visual language that creates a new kind of awareness, one that casts a spell on the viewer allowing them to interact with the work on several levels at once, be it the linear rationality of a geometric line or the emotional sensation of a painted surface.
I work primarily with watercolor, acrylic, and pigment-based inks. Lately I have been exploring a color palette of deep, saturated tones, primarily blues and purples. These colors played a significant role in the history of art making, particularly in antiquity, and so carry with them a rich tradition that informs my process.
Most of my works include elements that are sewn by hand with gold thread. The geometric forms range from small details to extensive overlays, introducing a subtle three-dimensional element to the work. These sewn lines interact with the painted surface below to create a geometric framework through which the painting is viewed. They also introduce an understated play of shadow and pattern on the surface. Because my pieces are both painted and stitched, they spend a lot of time in my hands. I enjoy the intimacy I have with each one, getting to know them in a very particular way.
You currently live in Florence, famous for its Renaissance art and architecture, does the city have an influence on your work?
Absolutely. I came to Florence fourteen years ago to study the Renaissance. Over the years I have become very familiar with the history of these streets, artifacts, and buildings. It is a gift to be able to see the Duomo regularly or to spend moments alone with works like Pontormo’s Annunciation in the Church of Santa Felicità. And while these elements are not featured explicitly in my work, their influence can still be felt.
There is a very particular way I feel when I am in the presence of these historical objects. Perhaps it is because they exist somewhere between the known and unknown. In studying the Renaissance I realized that historical meaning is hard to describe in contemporary terms. A Renaissance work’s true meaning (spiritual, iconographic, aesthetic) exists forever outside of our contemporary comprehension. We can never really see it with the eyes and the mind of someone from the period. So while a gesture, object, or pattern may look familiar, it is never quite what it seems. That mixture of the known and the unknown is something I try to evoke in my own work.
There are also many direct ways in which this city has influenced my work. For example, my use of gold thread has a clear connection with the art I have spent so much time studying. And my tonal palette also has deep roots in this city. In addition to Florence’s rich artistic heritage, the light and the landscape of Tuscany are constant sources of visual inspiration. The color of the light, the way it interacts with a stone church façade or on a hillside surrounding the city—these are all part of Italy’s magic. I frequently get a glimpse of how these elements are woven in my work although I am not sure anyone else would necessarily make that connection.
Can you tell us about your interest in sacred geometry and its importance in your embroidery art.
Geometry has a long history of possessing both sacred and spiritual power. While I might be sewing a pattern inspired by a door in southern Spain, I am aware of the deep spiritual tradition that is embedded in that design. This goes beyond recognizing a historical style or motif and touches instead into my interest in visual forms of knowledge. For instance, I frequently incorporate the “seed of life” or the “flower of life” motif in my work. It is an ancient symbol that appears in many cultures throughout history, and it is one of the primary forms in the sacred geometry tradition. It is also a fundamental building block or template for many geometric patterns. So in that sense it is a visual representation of the essential armature of our world.
The way each of us encounters geometric forms is personal and nuanced. I lived in Turkey where geometry pervades the visual landscape of daily life. But even for those of us who do not live in that cultural context, these forms feel familiar and understandable as well as mysterious and intriguing. Even so, our responses are often unconscious and only vaguely sensed. I would like the geometric elements in my work to tap into a full range of responses, some that may not translate directly into words or linear thinking. For many of us working with these geometric forms can take on the quality of a spiritual practice. It affects me on several levels: it centres me and brings me into a meditative state of mind, but it also awakens curiosity and a desire to understand the mystery of it all.
What was your path to becoming an artist? What advice would you give to those starting out?
My mother is an artist (Deborah Barlow) so I was exposed to art and art practices from the beginning. More importantly, visual language was our family tongue, so I have always felt at home in that world. My studies in art history brought me to Florence to study the Renaissance and to Turkey to study Islamic art, and that is where I really learned to look and to read visual images carefully. This training has been integral to the work I am now doing. By focusing first on seeing rather than making, I have approached my work from a slightly different perspective. Some people know exactly what they want to do right from the start. For most of us it is more experiential. We try many routes in and around what we love. My advice would be to embrace everything you experience, however subtle or obvious, and let it manifest in your work in its own way. Trust that the experiences life brings to you are exactly the ones you need.
How has Covid 19 affected your practice? And what does daily life look like in Italy right now?
Covid forced me to completely shift gears. This pandemic has been perilous for so many, and I recognize how fortunate I have been. But I did find a silver lining in the suffering of 2020: the gift of time. With everything shut down, I was able to completely devote myself to making art without any distractions from other outside projects.
I have also been able to engage online in a way that simply was not possible before. I joined the artist collective Pell Lucy, had my work included in several online exhibitions on Artsy, and have participated in weekly Zoom meetings with like-minded creators. So this has been an amazing opportunity to connect and share ideas. In many ways that community experience changed everything for me.
Even so, life in Italy has been challenging. I was in complete lockdown with my husband and four year old son for several months. We could not even go for a walk without a specific reason. I have been an American expat for many years, so I am used to not having immediate access to my family and many of my stateside friends, but it has still been hard to have such limited mobility. Though my work has been very consuming, I miss them immensely and am very happy that with each day the summer is looking more and more like life before Covid.
A lot of embroidery artists are speaking up on social media about having their work plagiarised. Have you had any experience with other artists copying your work? Is it something you worry about?
When you offer your work to the world, you run that risk. While it has not happened to me personally, I do know of artists who have had to deal with that issue. And certainly, plagiarism is an ongoing concern. Two beliefs have helped me in facing these types of problems. First, there is room for everyone. And second, no idea is mine and mine alone. I am committed to staying true to my own vision and inspiration. That’s the thread that keeps the work moving, changing, and developing. That of course is so deeply personal and cannot be acquired or copied by anyone.
Where do you sell your artwork? Do you have gallery representation?
My work is currently available on Artsy, on my website (kellinnelson.com), and on Instagram. The response to my work over the last year has been very warm and welcoming. I am now in the process of replenishing my inventory, so new work will be available soon. Anyone interested in getting updates can sign up for my email newsletter on my website.
Who are some of your favourite fibre artists right now?
I am particularly drawn to other artists working with paper. Liz Sofield not only sews gorgeous geometric patterns in paper, but she includes folded elements as well, creating a rich three-dimensional surface. Katharine Claypole does incredible mind-bending geometric thread drawings. Gisoo Kim creates intricate string and photograph sculptures. Nelmir Guzman sews bold geometric thread paintings that include additional fabric elements. Daniela Moreno creates meticulous geometries in rich tonal palettes. And Sally Blake, who is a remarkable multidisciplinary artist, often incorporates embroidery in her process. I am also very struck by the work of Richard McVetis, Sabatina Leccia, and Hanny Newton whose use of fiber mark making feels very painterly. Many of the other fiber artists I follow and love have been brought into my life thanks to The Fiber Studio, including recently Cecile Davidovici and Nicole McLaughlin.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on a series of tondos (round format) in various sizes. Some are in a very new palette for me. I like to think of them as galaxies, portals, or windows. They have been inspired by a passage I found regarding the meaning of the word Kosmos in Greek:
“The original meaning in Greek is “embroidery,” which implies the orderliness and harmony of woven patterns with which the universe is embroidered and moves. Kosmos signified the honourable and ‘right behaviour’ of the whole, the harmonious orchestration of the world’s pattern and processes.”(From A Beginners Guide to Constructing the Universe, by Michael Schneider.) I am also starting to test the possibility of incorporating giclee prints into my body of work. These will be coupled with custom stitching to create unique works. In addition to expanding my range of formats, this will allow me to experiment with some tessellated images that have intrigued me for some time. I will have more to share about these projects in the months to come.
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