T12. Exploring Embroidery on Photographs with Katel Delia

In this workshop, participants will explore embroidery on photographs as a form of artistic intervention, using stitching to add new layers of meaning to photographic images. Embroidery is approached as an act of repair, emphasis, or transformation, responding to themes such as biodiversity loss and the need to reconsider how we look at the subjects we care about.Working with Katel Delia, participants will discover how adding a physical layer to a photograph can create surprise, visual tension, and renewed attention. The process highlights embroidery as both a decorative gesture and a conceptual statement within the image.The session focuses on how material choices, colour, and stitch type influence the message conveyed by the photograph, encouraging subtle but deliberate interventions. Participants will learn to use stitching as a visual tool for expressing personal concerns and positions.

Outline

1. Introduction to embroidery on photography, including contemporary artistic references and the history of embroidered postcards
2. Brief contextual focus on key figures and issues related to biodiversity loss
3. Introduction to embroidery on photography and overview of applicable techniques
4. Choosing colours and areas of the image based on intended meaning
5. Piercing photographic paper correctly without damaging it
6. Practice of flat embroidery stitches on photographic prints
7. Practice of relief stitches designed to preserve the integrity of the paper
8. Individual work and experimentation on participants’ own photographs

Participants are asked to bring black and white, monochrome, or colour photographs to work with. Needles, scissors, and thread will be provided by the festival, though participants are welcome to bring their own materials.