Joetta Maue: Stitching Ordinary Beauty

Pam, the Office Administrator in the American version of the TV show ‘The Office’, is said to have uttered the best line in any series finale: There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that the point?

Whether or not those final lines are indeed the best in TV history, American textile artist Joetta Maue offers definitive proof the statement itself holds true through her imaginative embroidery pieces. Joetta believes in the power and beauty of the ordinary, and she combines photography, drawing and stitch to help us all see what she sees.

Whether cuddling a baby whilst making dinner, staring at a broken window shade or even the simple act of getting up in the morning…all are honoured through her use of stitch on found linens. Even dust is celebrated!

Joetta offered us an insider’s look into both her philosophy and techniques. Her route to textile art is quite interesting, and she explains how drawing and photography inform her work. She also shares her thoughts about sprinkling text in her work, and the new directions in which ‘the ordinary’ is taking her.