I have been thinking about what books are in my studio that I couldn't, well really, wouldn't, want to live without. I've decided to do an ongoing occasional series of the books in my studio that fit that description. When I got this idea the first book to come to mind was Celebrating the Stitch by Barbara Lee Smith. It contains the work of one hundred textile artists from Canada and the United States focusing on contemporary needleworkers. There are beautiful photos as well as interviews and overviews of the artist's work. Interspersed between the individual artist are pages with questions posed to the artists and their brief answers. Some of the topics are getting unstuck and staying unstuck, generating ideas, materials and tools and the role of the stitch. In addition there are a few diagrams on working various stitches that are used.
Some of my favorite artists in the book are Mary Bero, Renie Breskin Adams, Caroline Dahl and Maribeth Baloga. You can click on the names of three of them to go to their websites and check out their work. I love this book and when I need a little inspiration, out it comes!
