This week we had contemporary embroidery artist Sarah K Benning (@sarahkbenning) take over our Ohh Deer Instagram feed! Filled with beautiful stitching and botanical pieces, see what she got up to below in a Day In The Life!
@sarahkbenning here to take over the feed today!
I am a Contemporary Embroidery Artist newly based in New Hampshire. I create one of a kind home decor pieces of hand embroidery, write monthly #skbdiy patterns, and collaborate with small businesses all over the world to offer in person workshops. I hope youāll keep up with the posts today, but you can always get the full scoop at sarahkbenning.com!
9:30 am
Waking Up: Ever since I quit my āday jobā 3.5 years ago to pursue my embroidery business/studio practice I avoid alarm clocks like the plague, preferring to wake up with the sun. Luckily my home/studio space gets nice and bright first thing in the morning. Since I work from home and for myself, I have the luxury of setting my own schedule. My mornings are pretty slowāmaking coffee and a breakfast smoothie (like every good millennial, itās chock full of kale). I then scroll through my Instagram feed before I settle into work.
11:00 am
In the Morning: As a one woman show, I am responsible for all aspects of my business. I am the designer, manufacturer (hello one person sweat shop - all of my embroideries are 100% hand stitched), web tech, social media manager, strategist, customer service specialist, packing + shipping department, etc. The list goes on and on. This week I received a huge order of @dmc_embroidery floss that needs to be processed and inventoried. While I will use some of this thread in the studio, most of it is bound for workshops where I will share all my tips and tricks and materials with participants.
12:30 pm
Work Time: My embroidery practice falls in the non-traditional category, meaning I have abandoned the many rules of needle work + stitching to emphasize mark making, composition, drawing, and color to create updated imagery in this centuries old medium. The versatility of thread is limitless and I love to experiment with new textures and surfaces and combinations. There is plenty of time to consider my choices since even my smallest pieces take several hours to complete.
2:30 pm
Break Time: No two days in the studio are the same. I try to find a balance between creative work, administrative work, and housework - not to mention family + friends time! So much of my embroidery is heavily inspired by my own potted houseplant collection that when I need a break from the studio I take some time to tend the plants. I have around 70 in the house right now, so there is always something to keep me busy!
At the End of the Day: I feel very fortunate to get to do what I love everyday and incredibly lucky to have found a supportive audience for my work. Each week (on Wednesdayās) I share an interview with a fellow artist as a part of my #CraftWithConscience series dedicated to strengthening the handmade community here on IG and giving artists a platform to discuss the pros and cons of sharing work online. In honor of that, Iād love to share just a few of my favorite embroidery accounts with you:
@holaleon
@tessa_perlow
@fiance_knowles
@happycactusdesigns
@chloe.amy.avery
@tinycup_
and @ffembroidery
(Plus so many more! I could go on forever! But I wonāt) Thanks so much for tuning in!
Follow Sarah on Instragram @sarahkbenning or check out her website for more information at sarahkbenning.com!
