Trace - The Embroidered Art of Michele Carragher

Book excerpt: A sumptuous exploration of the work of renowned costume embroiderer, Michele Carragher. Staggeringly detailed and sumptuously worked, Michele Carragher's embroidered art is breathtaking to behold. This rich and detailed insight into her work guides you from her initial ideas, right through to the finished, astonishing pieces of work. Rich in symbolism and drawing inspiration from throughout history, the book contains three created, embroidered artifacts: a lavish glove, jeweled bodice and Japanese-style hair pin. From these she extracts a narrative which becomes the basis for three embroidered artworks, exploring themes of human duality and our behavioral effects on society and the planet. The book begins with an immersive, exquisitely photographed gallery tour of all the pieces, showcasing Michele's work in incredible detail. Following on from this, each artifact and artwork is discussed in detail, giving insight into the working process, creative choices and techniques used. Michele has worked for many years in the film and TV industry, including as Costume Embroiderer for HBO's Game of Thrones, and HBO's 2005 costume Emmy award winning production of Elizabeth 1. The last chapter of the book will feature a selection of images from her inspiring catalog of work.