NeedleXChange

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #[].

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Orly Cogan.

Orly Cogan is a New York-based textile artist whose embroidered fabrics contain other-worldly images of modern concepts with a dream-like twist.

In this second part of our NeedleXChange we discover Orly's creative process, how she explores power dynamics in her work, as well as her favourite music/podcasts/books and a heartfelt interesting fact.

Come back next week an interview with a new artist and if you enjoy NeedleXChange, a review on your favourite podcast platform would be wonderful.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:39 Change in Artwork after Motherhood

00:09:15 Depicting Intimate Relationships in Art

00:13:01 Exploring Feminine Archetypes in Art

00:16:42 Orly Cogan's Creative Process

00:19:29 Experimentation with Different Mediums

00:22:09 Orly Cogan's Musical Preferences

00:23:44 Orly’s Favourite Podcasts and Listening Habits

00:27:09 Orly’s Dyslexia

00:30:41 The last good film Orly Cogan watched

00:41:18 An interesting fact that no one knows about Orly Cogan

Links:

Website: orlycogan.com

Instagram: orlycogan

Intro music is Her Name is Edith by OTE via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #33.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Orly Cogan.

Orly Cogan is a New York-based textile artist whose embroidered fabrics contain other-worldly images of modern concepts with a dream-like twist.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange we find out how Orly came to needlework, how her work ties in with the modern art scene and we discover possibly the greatest parenting trick ever.

Come back next week for the second part of our chat!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:50 Control and Vulnerability in Art and Conversation

00:12:15 Notebooks, Sketchbooks, and Inspiration

00:14:20 The Greatest Parenting Trick Ever

00:18:40 Influences from Childhood and Transition to Fiber Art

00:24:00 Validation and Representation in the Art World

Links:

Website: orlycogan.com

Instagram: orlycogan

Intro music is Her Name is Edith by OTE via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #56.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Diana Weymar.

Diana Weymar is an embroidery artist and curator, and founder of the Tiny Pricks project, a collaborative needlework project that immortalises quotes from Donald Trump as a crowdsourced documentary of an unusual part of American history. Diana is the author of Crafting A Better World, a book focusing on collaborative craftivism which is a great addition to your craft library and one of the topics in this second part of our XChange!.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:45 - How Inspiration Strikes

00:09:17 - Navigating the Challenges of Social Media

00:23:45 - Crafting a Better World: How Diana’s Book Came To Be

00:35:45 - Lessons Learned From Making Her Book

00:39:01 - Craftivism as a Time Capsule: Care and Maintenance in Challenging Times

00:45:45 - Favourite Album/Book/Film

00:58:05 - An interesting fact that not a lot of people know about Diana Weymar

Links:

Website: tinypricksproject.com

Instagram: tinypricksproject

Intro music is Her Name Is Edith by OTE via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #55.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Diana Weymar.

Diana Weymar is an embroidery artist and curator, and founder of the Tiny Pricks project, a collaborative needlework project that immortalises quotes from Donald Trump as a crowdsourced documentary of an unusual part of American history. Diana is the author of Crafting A Better World, a book focusing on collaborative craftivism which is a great addition to your craft library.

In this first part of our NeedleXChange we talk about how the Tiny Pricks project came to be, evolving from a personal project to a collective form of embroidered therapy for many people, and the surprise of it being a project that continues to this day.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:10 - The Tiny Pricks Project: From Fun to Momentum

00:11:32 - Stitching That Which Resonates

00:18:12 - “I Am A Very Stable Genius” - How Tiny Pricks began

00:35:56 - Building a Safe and Supportive Community

Links:

Website: tinypricksproject.com

Instagram: tinypricksproject

Intro music is Her Name Is Edith by OTE via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #12.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview John Thomas Paradiso.

John Thomas Paradiso is a Washington-based artist who has been exploring the intimacy of gay culture through needlework for over 30 years.

Using hand embroidered quilting techniques, working on surfaces including leather and suede, and using traditional materials like doilies to mask the graphic parts of his subjects, John’s work treads the line between pornography and personal portraiture. His art is unapologetic in its openness and his expressions of the passion of gay love are both sensitive and sensational.

In our NeedleXChange we talk about how John’s artistic career has run alongside the timeline of the HIV pandemic, the value in re-appropriating homophobic slurs, and how his art has defined his own queer identity.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:38 - How John’s subjects come into being

00:04:00 - Why John hand quilts his work

00:08:00 - The challenge of entering into quilt shows

00:16:00 - How John honours his feminine side and strives for masculinity

00:21:00 - Reflecting on his earlier work

00:23:00 - John’s definition of success

00:25:15 - Favourite Album

00:26:55 - Favourite Book

00:29:26 - Favourite Film

00:33:00 - John’s reflections on working in the care sector

Links:

Website: john-paradiso.com

Instagram: john_paradiso_artist

Intro music is Let's Go Find The Sun by Sarah the Illstrumentalist via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #11.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview John Thomas Paradiso.

John Thomas Paradiso is a Washington-based artist who has been exploring the intimacy of gay culture through needlework for over 30 years.

Using hand embroidered quilting techniques, working on surfaces including leather and suede, and using traditional materials like doilies to mask the graphic parts of his subjects, John’s work treads the line between pornography and personal portraiture. His art is unapologetic in its openness and his expressions of the passion of gay love are both sensitive and sensational.

In our NeedleXChange we talk about how John’s artistic career has run alongside the timeline of the HIV pandemic, the value in re-appropriating homophobic slurs, and how his art has defined his own queer identity.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:38 - John’s award winning piece- The Prince of Pansies

00:07:00 - John’s early photography work

00:10:20 - How John’s work ran alongside the AIDS epidemic

00:13:00 - The current state of HIV & AIDS

00:15:24 - John’s transition into textiles

00:20:24 - The power of pansies

00:22:00 - Reclaiming slurs

00:26:45 - How textiles makes graphic work easier to consume

Links:

Website: john-paradiso.com

Instagram: john_paradiso_artist

Intro music is Let's Go Find The Sun by Sarah the Illstrumentalist via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #52.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Emma McKee.

Emma McKee is a Chicago-based cross stitch artist whose work is adored by hip-hop artists and basketball icons.

This is the second part of our NeedleXChange and we explore Emma's relationship with Chicago, her love of her Dad, how she has evolved as a designer and we check out her cultural recommendations!

If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on your podcast platform so more people can share the love!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:00 - The Barter System and Artistic Integrity

00:05:54 - The Trade-Off of Being a Full-Time Artist

00:08:19 - Evolution as a Cross-Stitch Designer

00:12:28 - Finding Inspiration in Cities

00:20:43 - The Qualities of a Great Dad

00:28:00 - The Impact of Boredom and Politics

00:31:15 - Favourite Albums and Films

00:41:03 - Emma's Fascination with North Korea

00:44:06 - From Opera Singer to Cross-Stitcher

00:46:05 - Creating Large-Scale Cross-Stitch Projects for Interiors

Links:

Website: stitchgawd.com

Instagram: thestitchgawd

Intro music is Loopty Loops by Pandaraps via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #51.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Emma McKee.

Emma McKee is a Chicago-based cross stitch artist whose work is adored by hip-hop artists and basketball icons.

This is the first part of our NeedleXChange and we talk about how Emma came into cross stitch and the circumstances in which her work came to the attention of the hip-hop community. I love chatting with Emma and this conversation flows in all kinds of directions. Tune in next week for the second part of our XChange and if you enjoyed the show, share it with a friend!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:03:00 - Emma's Background

00:09:02 - Community Engagement Through Fibre Arts

00:12:12 - The Therapeutic Benefits of Stitching

00:16:09 - Emma's Unique Stitching Technique

00:27:23 - Creating Cross-Stitch Jackets for Chance the Rapper

00:29:02 - Opportunities in the Music Industry

00:30:36 - Learning and Growing in Real Time

00:35:10 - The Impact of Music and Cross-Stitch

00:38:42 - Breaking Stereotypes in Cross-Stitch

00:42:08 - Navigating Corporate Commissions

Links:

Website: stitchgawd.com

Instagram: thestitchgawd

Intro music is Loopty Loops by Pandaraps via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #46.

Danielle is an South African artist known for her vibrant and expressive embroidery work, characterised by bold colours, movement, and layering, creating a visual impact that evokes joy. She believes in the inherent goodness of people and the power of support and validation in fostering self-confidence.

This is the second part of our NeedleXChange and we explore Danielle's colour theory, discuss some of her other projects and meander through her cultural touchpoints. It's such a pleasure talking with Danielle and I hope you enjoy it!

Timestamps:

0:00:00 - Introduction

0:01:52 - Unleashing Your Colour Language

0:07:57 - The Evolution of Colour Preferences

0:12:28 - The Power of Personal Colour Preference

0:15:52 - The Coda Collective and Collaborative Projects

0:18:41 - Procrastination and the Temptation of Commercial Projects

0:18:41 - Working with Friends and Building a Platform

0:31:18 - An interesting fact no one knows about Danielle Clough

Links:

Website: danielleclough.com

Instagram: fiance_knowles

Intro music is Rich People Dreaming by Siine & Superintendent McCupcakes via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites!

This is a repeat of episode #45.

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Danielle Clough, aka Fiancé Knowles.

Danielle is an South African artist known for her vibrant and expressive embroidery work, characterised by bold colours, movement, and layering, creating a visual impact that evokes joy. She believes in the inherent goodness of people and the power of support and validation in fostering self-confidence.

This is the first part of our NeedleXChange and we discuss how Danielle became a stitcher, how she became a viral sensation and what it takes to be a commercial artist, among other things. Danielle is awesome and this is a great chat - you'll love it!

Timestamps:

0:01:52 Introduction and Seasonal Conversation

00:10:58 Discovering Cape Town and Embracing Nature

00:13:53 The Beginnings of Danielle's Embroidery Journey

00:24:59 From Fashion Design to Thread Sketching

00:27:52 The Humble Origins of Danielle's Embroidery

00:29:30 Fashion vs. Freedom of Creativity

00:36:58 Aligning Brand Ethos with Personal Values

00:45:40 Balancing Commercial Work and Personal Artistic Pursuits

Links:

Website: danielleclough.com

Instagram: fiance_knowles

Intro music is Rich People Dreaming by Siine & Superintendent McCupcakes via Epidemic Sound.

About NeedleXChange

An artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.

Stay Connected

needl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews

mrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com