Megan McCoy
MA Textile Design
I approach making a piece of artwork using craft techniques, specifically embroidery, cross-stitch, and tufting. Employing methods traditionally labelled âwomenâs workâ and me, a woman, using these techniques in this setting is empowering and rebellious. These methods make me connected to my work and the subject matter Iâm addressing becomes more potent.
By using techniques that are historically devalued because they are feminine craft, Iâm addressing the stereotype of craft within fine art and the stigma behind what is considered feminine art. Using craftivism as a foundation, I dive more into feminism and being an advocate for women and those who identify as a woman. This work is focused on my feminine identity, the gendered-female body, and who I am as a woman in society today. I use myself as the subject making it personal but also empowering and embracing me as a woman.
My themes play with the tension of softness in textiles and fibres, reclaiming it in a way, then pairing it with an abrasive or scandalous design. This contrast creates a beautiful mix of âcomfortable and confrontationalâ, a phrase Iâve started to label my art as. Recently I picked up tufting and I feel it has elevated my work to another level within that comfortable and confrontational spectrum. With my work I want to encourage conversations about what being a woman is and embracing your body and your womanhood, hopefully inspiring others on my way to reclaim my femininity.
