Most people struggle to see beauty in insects and try to avoid them at all costs—and then there’s Rachel Gooden. This Australian artist is using the power of embroidery to explore her fascination with insects, using everything from thread to beads to make her work come to life.
Gooden has been interested in art from a young age, and eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She came to embroidery later in life, when her sister suggested she should give it a try after she was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and started looking for an indoor hobby that didn’t require too much energy.
She enjoyed embordering insects from the get-go, but they were more two-dimensional before she discovered stumpwork. Instead of simply working with needle and thread, she added everything from beautiful beads and fabrics to wires and Swarovski crystals to the mix, and that’s how her unique approach to embroidery was born.
“I would describe my work as an amalgamation of my fascination and awe of the natural world, in particular insects, and my love of creating pieces made out of beautiful materials. My creations are not designed to be realistic replicas but rather fantastical representations,” the artist told Textile Curator.
