People speak about the scars left behind by the traumas of war. They do not often speak about the scars left behind from of day-to-day living. There is the constant push and pull of light and dark, the violence that exists in the natural world, and the uncontrollable affects on the psyche when faced with the necessity to survive. What I am trying to do is keep a record of these things, by hand sewing on paper, each stitch becomes a mark focusing in on one small moment. I can create a tiny intersection that slows down time and records it. Whether it is only using blood red threads, or playing with landscape colors, the needle allows me to create a mental space slower than the rest of the day. In which I can put the needle into the paper, pull it through, taught, and start again, creating delicate worlds that are softer and kinder than this.
Emily Barletta is an artist based in Brooklyn, New York.. Through hand embroidery on paper she strives to keep a record of time and the human experience, through the simple act of mark-making, the stitch. She has a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, 2003. She received a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in 2009 and a Pollock-Krasner Grant in 2011. Her work has been praised in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Baltimore CityPaper, The Village Voice, City Arts Magazine, American Craft Magazine, Fiberarts Magazine, and Foam Magazine. She regularly exhibits her artwork at a variety of galleries and museums.
Website
http://emilybarletta.com
