This next technique holds roots in a fellow artistic influence for Wilson, English abstract artist
and painter Ian Davenport. Upon discovering his work in an exhibit, Wilson was astonished
by the technicolor frenzy of paint hues Davenport allows to drip down his canvases, pooling
and swirling at the bottom. “His color choices are inspiring and his technique is flawless. I
am often inspired by other artists, especially painters, and I immediately started daydreaming
on how I could get thread to drip.”
Through some experimentation and trials in his studio, Wilson was able to replicate the
dripping effect with embroidery thread. Specially digitized satin stitches were overlaid on
luxury boxes, running past the edge and directly onto a water-soluble stabilizer—though
Wilson notes a sturdy card stock could easily be interchanged as the base material in lieu of
a luxury box. When the stitching finished, Wilson dipped the entire lower portion of his
work into water, allowing the stabilizer to dissolve from behind the embroidery. By gently
unraveling the satin stitched rows, long rivulets of embroidered stitches were created. Upon
drying, the pieces then got mounted into a frame, pooling at the bottom, replicating the
exact “dripping” effect desired. This technique, which Wilson has coined “deconstructed
embroidery,” is often a show-stopper when individuals tour his studio, due in part to the
originality of the concept in the embroidery world. Two of these exclusive drip designs have
been included in this series for you to experiment with and recreate your own iteration
of deconstructed embroidery. Each drip will come in a 9.75" size as well as a 7.75" size.
Wilson notes the beauty in this technique lies in the many unique variations that will result:
“The drip pieces are the closest I get to abstraction, and they will make a stunning addition
to your art wall, incorporating movement, depth, and texture in a way that standard
embroidery just won’t do.”
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