June 2022 - Update

June 01, 2022

Grant Project Update - Becoming a Pixel (Portrait 2/5)
Glitch Streak (Work in Progress)
Vancouver Cityscape (Work in Progress)

Grant Project Update - Becoming a Pixel (Portrait 2/5)

*Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 2/5*, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches, 35 hours of labour

I’m excited to share the completed second portrait from my self-portrait series Becoming a Pixel. This portrait still has some likeness to my self-image, but there is clearly some loss of definition. Without seeing the first portrait from the series it is now harder to identify this as a self-portrait. I intentionally reduced the overall resolution and total pixels in the cross-stitch pattern. By producing in an image with less detail, I’ve made identification of the person in the portrait less certain.

*(Detail) Becoming a Pixel - Portrait 2/5*, 2022, embroidery floss, Aida cloth⁠, 7 x 7 inches

Looking at a small section of the finished piece (as shown below) it is very difficult to recognize the image as a portrait on its own.

Mallory Donen acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Glitch Streak (Work in Progress)

Mallory Donen with her work in progress *Glitch Streak*. Photo was taken in her studio in Vancouver, BC, 2022.

I’ve also been making consistent progress on this new large-scale cross-stitch piece, Glitch Streak. I’m currently 1/3 of the way complete and it’s about 10 inches wide. When the work is finished I expect it to measure 30 inches wide. I’ve already logged in about 65 hours of labour on this project! Needless to say the further I get on this piece, the more taxing and strenuous it is getting on my body. This is precisely why I’m pacing myself slowly on this project and spending time on others that are less laborious than this one!

Glitch Streak (WIP detail), 2022, embroidery, Aida cloth

Vancouver Cityscape (Work in Progress)

Somehow I managed to carve out time to work on this mixed textiles project in May. It’s been very explorative and playful seeing where this piece takes me. I’ve never attempted something quite like it before. The best way to describe it is probably a hybrid between quilting, embroidery, and textile collage. I’m using a combination of machine and hand sewing, as well as cross-stitching and free-hand embroidery. I’ll also be using yarn to add more texture and dimension. Overall, it’s definitely still a work in progress, but I’m very excited to see where this process takes me!

*Free Form (1/3) – Blue & Yellow*, 3.5 x 3.5 inches, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 2021

November 2021 - Update

November 02, 2021

The last few months I’ve been taking it easy and slowly getting back into the flow of working on my art practice. In October, I finished three new cross-stitch works titled Free Form Series 01, which I’ve submitted for consideration in a textiles exhibition early next year.

*Free Form (2/3) – Orange & Purple*, 3.5 x 3.5 inches, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 2021

Free Form Series 01 was created with the intent to play and explore the techniques of cross-stitch in a similar way to abstract drawing or painting. Normally cross-stitch follows a specific pattern which is determined prior to starting a project. The only pre-planned factors in this series were the two complimentary colours that were selected for each piece. By utilizing various stitches and colour combinations the possibilities and potential outcomes become infinite.

*Free Form (3/3) – Red & Green*, 3.5 x 3.5 inches, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 2021

May 2021 - Update

May 01, 2021

Feminist Craft of Care for Times of Crisis: a presentation panel
A WAY Online Art Gallery
Open Call - Submit your Story
Work in Progress - Funded Art book Project

Feminist Craft of Care for Times of Crisis: a presentation panel

On May 13th @6:30pm-8:00pm PST, I will be presenting at an artist panel “Feminist Craft of Care for Times of Crisis”, alongside Lena Chen & Sarah Shamash. The panel is part of Digital Carnival Z an annual festival run by Cinevolution Media Arts. I’m very excited to be part of such a well run event and to be presenting with such amazing and talented artists. Register online through Eventbrite to attend the event for free.

I will present works from the past several years which investigate notions of labour, productivity, and the value of art in relation to craft and women’s work. Instead of becoming reliant on computers and other advanced technologies that are accelerating the speeds of production and consumption alike, I choose to look back to centuries-old practices that have been passed down through generations of women. I explore the parallel between repetitive processes and computer programming by taking on the role of a machine.

By embracing time-consuming processes such as hand-stitching, I emphasize the importance and value of women’s labour. As a female artist, my labour is feminized and inherently connected to women’s domestic work. I challenge expectations of traditional craft by introducing conceptual layers and experimentation with new media. Throughout my artist talk, I will bring awareness to the value of feminine art forms and the connection between craft and fine art.

A WAY Online Art Gallery

GlitchSeries04 - Crop_1_crop.jpg, Archival inkjet print and embroidery, 11 x 14 inches, 2019

Glitch Series 04 is available for sale at A WAY Online Art Gallery for the next couple months, check out their website for my work and art by some other amazing artists!

Open Call - Submit your Story

Women’s stories surrounding pain will be chosen to be part of a conceptual art book project, mirrored with images of delicate handkerchiefs and embroidery.

Submit your anonymous stories and experiences of when you felt the need to hide either your emotional/physical pain in order to avoid pity or shame for being too sensitive.

Let us contradict the stereotype of women as pure and fragile by demonstrating the perseverance, dedication, and strength of women.

Work in Progress - Funded Art book Project

The past month has been jammed packed with many hours of cross-stitching, as I begun working on my project funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. First, I received my new embroidery stand and hoops in the mail. Second I fully prepped a piece of Aida cloth by securing the edge with stitches, to prevent fraying. I even marked the vertical and horizontal middles with stitches, which is something I rarely do!

For this project, I am creating an art book consisting of scans of my Ama’s original handkerchiefs and corresponding cross-stitched replications of each pattern.

I have chosen and scanned nine handkerchiefs, which I am converting into cross-stitch patterns. Using the patterns, I am cross-stitching nine embroidered pieces (approx. 6x6 inches each), which are scanned once completed.

After each cross-stitch piece is completed, I will mirror the cyclical structure of a woman’s existence and allude to the concept of invisibility, by recycling the same piece of Aida cloth and the same strands of embroidery thread for each new pattern. I will unravel each completed cross-stitch replication and re-stitch the next handkerchief by reusing the same material.

The art book will consist of pages with a scan of a handkerchief on the left and a scan of the corresponding cross-stitched piece on the right. It will also include stories selected from an anonymous open call (Submit your story to be a part of the project). The stories will be examples from women who have had to hide or pretend that they were not in pain in order to avoid pity or shame for being too sensitive.

Throughout April, I completed three of the nine cross-stitch pieces. Each piece took an average of 25 hours to cross-stitch and 14 hours to unstitch. It’s weird to think that the only evidence of these works will be the final scans/images that will be included in the art book. Although it may seem unusual, it adds to the conceptual aspects of the work, by emphasizing the invisibility of the labour. This connects to the idea of women’s labour and pain as invisible.

I acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, September 2019 — *Vermont Studio Center*, Johnson, VT, September 2019

Vermont Studio Center - Artist Residency

October 06, 2019

My 1-Month residency at the Vermont Studio Center feels like a dream that I wish I had never woken up from! A soon as I had arrived, I knew that I was going to be part of something spectacular. The creative energy was abundant and buzzing amongst the 55+ artists and writers, as soon as we stepped foot onto the “campus”. We all fed off of this positive vibe and took it as a motivator to be productive in our own unique ways.

Church Studios, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, September 2019 — *Church Studios*, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, September 2019

Most of my time in Vermont was spent in my studio, located in Church Studios. The building was newly renovated due to a recent fire. I was extremely happy with my studio space and the beautiful natural light that came with the tall church windows. I immediately went to work and was determined to be productive. What would’ve taken me 2 months to complete back at home (during the spare hours of weekday evenings and weekends), only took me 2 weeks while at the residency. I’m thrilled with the amount of progress I made on this new body of work and I only wish I could’ve stayed at the residency longer!

Photo of the studio before the work began.

On Day 1, I started off by unpacking my paint squares from my Paint by Numbers series. The patterns were pre-planned as I had picked all the squares a couple days before my departure. By doing this I only brought the supplies that were necessary to make the projects I planned to work on during the residency.

Bottom left is the notebook where I sketched out each pattern for the paintings I planned to make while in Vermont.

Each painting stacked and held together with elastic bands.

I pre-planned nine patterns for the Paint by Numbers Series, however, in the end I only ended up finishing three (the two on the left and the middle painting). I ended up splitting time evenly between this series and the Translation Series. — I pre-planned nine patterns for the *Paint by Numbers Series*, however, in the end I only ended up finishing three (the two on the left and the middle painting). I ended up splitting time evenly between this series and the *Translation Series.*

After I finished unpacking, I started off by cross-stitching the first translation,Translation #1, from the Translation Series.

Translation Series paintings pre-planned and laid out on a window sill. — *Translation Series* paintings pre-planned and laid out on a window sill.

Starting to cross-stitch Translation #1 using a Stitch Fiddle pattern on my laptop, created using a scan of the hand-stitched painting. — Starting to cross-stitch *Translation #1* using a Stitch Fiddle pattern on my laptop, created using a scan of the hand-stitched painting.

Detail shot of Translation #1 cross-stitch in progress. — Detail shot of *Translation #1* cross-stitch in progress.

I was thrilled at how quickly I was able to get Translation #1 - Cross-Stitch finished. I figured out that I could get 1/4 complete in a day, which meant that I could complete a cross-stitch this size in 4 days if I put in 6-6.5 hours per day (something I could never do while at home). Before I started the next cross-stitch, I started working on the the first stitched painting, Pattern A.

Translation #1 - Paint By Numbers, 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and Translation #1 - Cross-Stitch, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches — *Translation #1 - Paint By Numbers,* 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and *Translation #1 - Cross-Stitch*, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches

Pattern A in progress, back view. — *Pattern A* in progress, back view.

Pattern A in progress, front view. — *Pattern A* in progress, front view.

Once I finished sewing Pattern A, I completed Translation #2 - Paint By Numbers and brought out the iron to get things that were done looking crisp and flat. After these were ironed and scanned, I started prepping the cross-stitch pattern for Translation #2 and planned out the embroidery floss colours.

Everything ironed, sitting on a stool in my studio, before I packed things up and took them to the lounge to be scanned.

Pattern A, 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 9.5 x 9.5 inches — *Pattern A*, 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 9.5 x 9.5 inches

Planning out colours for Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch — Planning out colours for *Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch*

As I continued to cross-stitch, I was starting to realize that I had not packed enough blue and green embroidery floss. I knew I had to buy more, but there wasn’t anywhere in Johnson, VT that sold embroidery floss. An employee from the residency suggested that I post something on the local neighbourhood forum. Within 1-day I was able to source a local resident who was willing to donate a beautiful stash of embroidery floss from her personal collection. She insisted that I take as much as I like, although I still had to restrain myself from taking too much. Afterwards it had started to rain and she kindly gave me a ride back into the main part of town (I had walked 20 min on the way there). I definitely hit the jackpot with this one and I’ll never forget this women’s generous offering!

Amazing stash of embroidery floss donated by a local Johnson, VT resident.

Presenting at “Res Pres”, talking about the Glitch Series. — Presenting at “*Res Pres*”, talking about the *Glitch Series*.

At the end of the first week, I signed up for the Resident Presentations and gave a Pecha Kucha style artist talk (20 slides, 20 seconds each, 7 minutes total). Each week artists and writers shared their work both past and present. It was truly inspirational and insightful to hear everyone talk about their processes and ideas/concepts behind the work they create.

Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch (Detail) — *Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch* (Detail)

Pattern B, work in progress — *Pattern B,* work in progress

During the second week, I worked hard on completing Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch and Pattern B. As I was working on these simultaneously, I also began to think about the next stage of the Translation Series and went to the local art store to buy some supplies. I purchased 2 yards of raw canvas and acrylic gouache paint, which I’d been meaning to get around to trying! I usually only ever paint with acrylic paint and the occasional water colour.

Studio Store, the local art supply store was right across the street from my studio. — *Studio Store*, the local art supply store was right across the street from my studio.

Laying out the 2 yards of raw canvas I purchased, so that I could cut it into 20 x 20 inch squares.

Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches — *Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch,* 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches

Pattern B (back view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches — *Pattern B* (back view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches

Pattern B (front view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches — *Pattern B* (front view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches

After cutting up the raw canvas, I stapled a few pieces to the walls of my studio and primed them with gesso. Then I began testing out how I was going to paint by measuring and taping out, as precisely as possible, each square. Once I was comfortable with how the test was going, I moved onto preparing the canvas by measuring and numbering each column and row, which took a lot of concentration and patience. Finally I was ready to paint! During each “round” there were 64 squares exposed at a time, which I calculated to take me an average of 45 mins.

Testing out how to use painter’s tape to paint small 0.5 inch squares one at a time.

Canvas fully prepped with all the columns and rows numbered.

After taping off the canvas, 64 1/2 inch squares were exposed at one time. To the left of the canvas is the cross-stitch pattern I followed to do the painting.

On Thursday, we had our first evening of Open Studios which was an amazing night of walking around to all the studios and seeing the hard work that everyone had created so far. See below for a slideshow of photos from the night.

My Studio

On the weekend, I was feeling a little burnt out from all my hard work and walking around from Open Studios. My friend Lauren and I went for a walk to explore our natural surroundings and take photos (slideshow below). Then in the evening we stayed in, ate junk food, and watched a movie.

The following week, I started to rotate between three different stations in my studio: 1. Sewing Paint Squares, 2. Cross-Stitching, 3. Painting Squares.

I also volunteered to have my saliva swabbed at Lauren’s pop up clinic in her studio. Click here to learn more about her Plasticization Clinic. I filled out a medical form, gave her a swab of my DNA, and she took my photo. Now I’m “in the system” as… — I also volunteered to have my saliva swabbed at Lauren’s pop up clinic in her studio. Click here to learn more about her Plasticization Clinic. I filled out a medical form, gave her a swab of my DNA, and she took my photo. Now I’m “in the system” as part of the archive for her project!

Lauren and I also decided to go for another walk and we finally found “Journey’s End”, a trail that lead to a small waterfall. See slideshow below for photos taken during our nature walk and some other photos of Johnson, VT.

As the residency was starting to come to a close, I worked hard to finish the three works I had in progress. My goal was to finish the cross-stitch, the hand-stitched painting and the small test paintings all in time for the last Open Studio.

Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch, work in progress. — *Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch*, work in progress.

Translation #1 - Gouache Painting, work in progress. — *Translation #1 - Gouache Painting*, work in progress.

Lauren had to leave a couple days early to get back to NY for a class she was teaching, so we decided to revisit a restaurant in a nearby town called Stowe, for some delicious pizza from “Pie-casso” as a little farewell dinner.

The last couple of days I spent wrapping up my projects and working on submissions for various exhibitions and publications.

Translation #1 - Gouache Painting, 2019, gouache, canvas, 10 x 10 inches — *Translation #1 - Gouache Painting*, 2019, gouache, canvas, 10 x 10 inches

Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches — *Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch*, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches

Untitled, work in progress — *Untitled*, work in progress

After finishing my projects, I cleaned up my studio and hung all of my finished pieces on the walls for the second round of Open Studios.

Translation #2 - Paint By Numbers, 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches — *Translation #2 - Paint By Numbers,* 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and *Translation #2 - Cross-Stitch*, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches

Translation #3- Paint By Numbers, 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches — *Translation #3- Paint By Numbers,* 2019, acrylic, canvas, embroidery floss, 4 x 4 inches and *Translation #3 - Cross-Stitch*, 2019, embroidery floss, Aida cloth, 6 x 6 inches

Pattern C (front view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 19.5 x 19.5 inches — *Pattern C* (front view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 19.5 x 19.5 inches

Pattern B (back view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 19.5 x 19.5 inches — *Pattern B* (back view), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 19.5 x 19.5 inches

Installation shot, Open Studios, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, 2019 — *Installation shot*, Open Studios, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, 2019

Untitled, 2019, gouache, canvas, 2.5 x 2.5 inches (each square) — *Untitled*, 2019, gouache, canvas, 2.5 x 2.5 inches (each square)

Untitled (Left), 2019, gouache, canvas, 2.5 x 2.5 inches (each square), Pattern B (Middle), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches, Pattern A (Right), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches — *Untitled* (Left), 2019, gouache, canvas, 2.5 x 2.5 inches (each square), *Pattern B* (Middle), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches, *Pattern A* (Right), 2019, canvas, embroidery floss, graphite, 9.5 x 9.5 inches

More photos from Open Studios round #2.

The last day of the residency was spent packing and cleaning up the studio, as well as saying goodbye to the space, Johnson, and the wonderful people I met along the way. I hope to return to the Vermont Studio Center someday and I’ll definitely be looking to do other residencies in the near future!