Flora as Fashion: Asia Muka

Flora as Fashion: Asia Muka" 2019
Digital inkjet print and yarn
40 x 40 in.

When I approached this piece it was a bit daunting. Not only was it 40 x 40 in but it was an overall design I wanted to stitch in detail. I had photographed Asia deliberately in front of an extremely old and prominent organ pipe cactus which I felt reflected her larger than life personality but didn't take into account how long it would take me to execute the piece.

I had been studying varying embroidery stitches and hit up on the buttonhole stitch which seemed to emulate the undulating outline of the cactus. The evenly spaced cactus spines gave me a guide to puncture the surface. Turning the cactus into feathers seen in an elaborate Las Vegas showgirl costume came alive with the use of yarn instead of embroidery floss.

Three weeks later, the piece was finished.

I'm extremely proud to showcase this image in my exhibition which will be opening tonight at MuzeuMM.

Julie Green
June 1, 2019