Painting with Thread by Miriam Shimamura
In this interview I chat with Miriam Shimamura, an embroidery artist from Coquitlam, British Columbia. After reconnecting with her innate love of creating art, Miriam began painting with thread just over a year ago. Since then, Miriam has developed her own unique style inspired by abstraction, impressionism, and minimalism. With a deep appreciation for these art movements and a keen eye for detail, Miriam's hand embroidered work depicts a wide range of subject matter - from landscapes that are both representational and abstract to portraits of humans and animals. In this interview, Miriam shares her creative process and discusses the inspiration behind her visually stunning works of art.
Hi Miriam! Tell me about your background and where your creative journey began.
My Mom might say my creative journey began when I was a toddler and painted the kitchen table and cupboards with jam, and I might have to agree with her. I have always loved art and drawing. The desire to create art is something that is an essential part of who I am, the colour in the light of my soul that would define me even if I lost my cognitive ability, if I lost my body. I am an artist.
In childhood this was a given, through adulthood I struggled for years to understand that again. We put so much into labels, we want clear definitions and control over expectations. I couldn't call myself an artist for a long time, I didn't go to art school, I didn't do it full time as a career, I wasn't good enough. I would say I was artistic, but never an artist.
In the past year I have finally come back to the freedom of that confident artist I was as a child, and have always been regardless.
What inspired you to create hand embroidered art?
When the adult colouring books became popular a few years ago, I bought a few and started in hoping to enjoy the calm and joy of colouring again. Yet, as a practical adult I did not relish the time invested into creating something that in the end looked to me like a sample of wallpaper that I definitely would not want on my wall.
My mom, an artist and art collector herself, had just purchased a small piece of embroidered art that was in the thread painting style of an ocean landscape. I loved it.
So as I needed a vacation activity and the colouring books available were not cutting it, I asked my mom to dig out her old embroidery supplies so that I could have a go at this enticing old but new medium. I connected with it immediately.
How has your art practice shifted or evolved over time?
After making that first piece, I dove into the world of modern embroidery. I loved all of it, but really wanted to make sure I was creating art that was from me, and not too heavily influenced by others.
I really like impressionism and the magic of minimalism telling a grand story. Yet my embroidery style evolved into fine detail with a single thread. So I allow that and try to incorporate impressionism and minimalism into my designs. There is really so much to talk about in the process of evolving and refining a style that I feel I could go on forever.
My key ingredients so to speak, are movement, colour combining, and perspective, in order to invoke in the viewer the emotions that would get them to tell their interpretation of the story I am presenting.
Your embroidered artwork is incredibly detailed. Can you tell me about your process and the time it typically takes to complete a piece?
When I first started I thought I had to let go of fine detail. I thought I had to let the broad free flowing lines do all the talking. I just couldn't do it though, as I love fine detail, so I decided to embrace it. I started working with a single strand of thread to do thread paintings. This definitely means the work takes more time, a lot more time! I enjoy that though. I relish the journey as much as the finished piece.
I dont keep a strict log of how long a piece takes me, because it weighs down the creative joy. Like dancing with tie downs on. My estimates are that my 10" 'California Dreaming' (the sandy beach and waves) piece took somewhere around 250 hrs. An 8" piece I did of a dog portrait with landscape took upwards of 100hrs.
You depict stunning landscapes as well as figures and animals. Where do you find inspiration for your work, and how do you select your subject matter?
When I am creating for me I generally choose abstract designs inspired by nature.
As for portraits and landscapes, I absolutely love creating a piece of art for someone of a person or place that they love. I get to share a piece of their story. I get to be a witness to that love and I feel honoured to have a part in the telling of that story. I think I do my best work when I am creating like this.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now I am doing a thread painting of a close up of Jupiter, and a colourized sketch style portrait for a gentleman of his late Mom.
When did you join Instagram, and how has it impacted you as an artist?
Instagram for me is a place to connect with others who share a similar interest or passion. I have had a couple other accounts through the years for other interests(I joined Instagram about 6 years ago) and my embroidery account is no different, though it is viewed by many more people.
I probably don't engage with social media in a standard way. I dont like thinking about people in terms of numbers. One person or 10,000, it is all equally important. I do not do anything to gain followers or feel responsible for entertaining people. I am here to share and connect, join me or not, it is all good to me.
Where do you hope to see your work in 5 years?
I would love to be embroidering full time doing commissions. I also want to figure out a way to do some really big pieces.
Follow Miriam on Instagram at: mishiembroidery