Claire Pongonis hails from the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, drawing inspiration from the region for her embroidered thread paintings. She blends traditional embroidery techniques with contemporary painting methods, creating pieces known for their vibrant colors, rich textures, and captivating details, while also using negative space to add depth and dimension. With a background in Fine Art, Claire's creative practice includes oil pastel and acrylic. Constantly exploring new creative methods, Claire pushes her boundaries to find unique and captivating expressions. Claire co-founded the traveling art show "Women of the Ozarks," which showcases regional talent and gives back to the community through art education and outreach programs. Though she frequently travels, Claire calls Fayetteville, Arkansas, home.
Statement
My artwork is rooted in a deep appreciation for the natural world and the human experience. Currently, my focus is on embroidered landscapes, a medium through which I can explore the interplay of positive and negative space. These thread paintings showcase vibrant blocks of color sewn onto translucent fabric, with the negative space playing an integral role in the artwork.
Using translucent fabric allows me to create a sense of depth and movement in my pieces as the layers of thread and fabric interact with the surrounding light. These pieces are stitched with standard six-strand embroidery floss, which requires layering to achieve the dense blocks of color and allows the individual threads to disappear into themselves. This exploration of repetition, rooted in the tradition of this medium, results in a contemporary, sweeping, textured portrayal of the natural world. The methodical process is a meditative practice foundational to my connection with each piece.
My embroidered landscapes aim to capture the essence of the natural spaces that have impacted me while inviting viewers to see themselves and their experiences in the represented scenery. My goal is to create visually captivating and emotionally resonant pieces that inspire people to connect to the earth, themselves, and each other.
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