(1) When I Cross-Stitch I Feel Like a Machine: 88 Hours of Self-Love and Self-Reflection

embroidery
20 x 20 inches
2017

Mallory Donen’s practice is focused on processes rooted in traditional craft passed down from generation of women in her family. Her art explores the intersection of digital art and embroidery. By using the distinct grid format of cross-stitch she creates connections between threads and pixels.

She embraces an approach to making art that is purposefully slow to emphasize the value of time and dedication to her craft in opposition to the fast-paced nature of digital technology. Her intention is to think purposefully about each handmade object she brings into the physical world and its potential impact.

The series When I Cross-Stitch I Feel Like a Machine is from Donen’s thesis I Come From a Long Line of Machines and was the start of Donen’s exploration of the relationship between artist and machine. Through a collaborative process with computer technology, she blurred the lines between handmade and digital.