Embroidery artists explore all sorts of different subjects through their art, and Lucy Simpson opted for the most unusual one yet. The mastermind behind the embroidery brand Peacocks and Pinecones is stitching together photorealistic glass objects using her thread painting skills.
Simpson enjoyed embroidery since she was a child, and she learned the basics alongside her grandmother. She rediscovered her passion for cross-stitching after giving birth to her third child, and this hobby played a significant role in helping her overcome some of life’s hardships.
“I had been diagnosed with postnatal depression and anxiety, and my sister bought me my first kit to try and take my mind off things. I loved how I had to completely focus on what I was doing, which left no room for intrusive thoughts,” she told Colossal.
Simpson later embraced the technique called thread painting and tried experimenting with rendering metallic objects before moving on to glass. Ordinary subjects, such as birds and animals, simply weren’t challenging enough for her, especially when she had some extra time on her hands during the pandemic.
Embroidery inspired by glass objects, especially crystal tumblers and decanters, allowed her to take her skills to the next level. Stitching the illusion of transparency proved to be the biggest challenge, and it can take her up to 200 hours to create this effect.
