the stitch up

ava roth

I have a lifelong love affair with sewing by hand, so instinctively incorporate thread and needlework into whatever I’m making. Even my paintings have thread in them, and I often use a sewing needle for mark-making. I made up the term ‘encaustic embroidery’ to describe my unique practice of combining sewing with beeswax. When I started working directly with beehives, I quickly realised thread and honeycomb were a perfect fit for a reason beyond the visual: threadwork has traditionally been the domain of women, and since beehives are largely female-populated, the pieces from this collection are a celebration of female work.

My work begins with the beauty of whichever fabric, paper, comb, horsehair, thread or materials I have on hand. Because I only put organic and non-toxic materials in the hives, a lot of these elements are found on walks or sourced from local areas.