As an emerging artist studying Bachelor of Arts Honours with a thesis on Slovak folk dress and embroidery, I seek to showcase my rich Slavic cultural background in my creative work.

 

Emerging art practice involves the intersection between the art and

textile fields by combining painting and embroidery on one canvas. My canvas work Czechoslovakian Self Portrait features an illustrative style inspired by traditional Czech and Slovak folk artists applied through a combination of thin light layers, vivid colours, pencil and soft pastel shading and colour blocking. The piece depicts folk

costume and domestic country life, with hand embroidery sewn directly

on the canvas in areas of embroidered folk dress such as in the skirt and

blouse, hair ribbon and small hoop. Slovak folk embroidery motifs from mixed regions are also featured. 

 

Exploration of personal cultural background underpins my work and

draws upon historical research in Slavic folklore. The folk vase piece matches with the vase depicted in the portrait and showcases traditional ceramic folk motifs and colours. Detva Flowers feature a traditional embroidery method using the curved needle exclusive to central Slovakia with motifs from the region of Podpol'anie.