Donna Rhae Marder has been using domestic themes, materials, and methods to create poetic, sometimes humorous artwork for over forty years. She uses a sewing machine as a sculptural tool to produce both freestanding and wall-mounted objects. Her sculptural pieces include lamps, lanterns, vessels, and a collection of girls’ dresses meticulously sewn from recycled paper. Mid-career, she began using wire to construct replicas of more complex freestanding objects, such as teapots fashioned out of everything from pearls to teabags. After many years of using mostly paper, Marder switched her emphasis to fabric. She transformed family garments into a body of work that explores universal questions about clothing and textiles. Her commission for the new U.S. Embassy in Asuncion is inspired by Ñanduti, traditional Paraguayan embroidered lace.