People often ask me how I started combining watercolor painting with embroidery. The truth is that this technique was born during a very special period of my life: motherhood.
During pregnancy and after having my children, I became much more sensitive to certain smells, including some of the art materials I had always worked with. At the same time, I still felt a strong need to create. I needed a way to continue making art while adapting to the changes happening in my life.
That is when I turned to embroidery.
I began stitching on fabric, creating small embroidered pieces and exploring the beauty of thread, texture, and handmade details. As I spent more time embroidering, a question kept coming to my mind:
“Why can’t I embroider on paper?”
That simple question became the beginning of a new artistic journey.
At first, I experimented by adding an adhesive fabric backing to the paper to make it stronger and more resistant to stitching. It helped me gain confidence while learning how the materials behaved together. As I continued practicing, I discovered that the extra support was not always necessary. Eventually, I began working directly on the paper itself, allowing the surface to remain lighter and more delicate.
The process became one of experimentation and discovery. I tested different stitches, learning which ones complemented my paintings best. Some worked beautifully, while others did not. Over time, I developed my own visual language, incorporating a variety of embroidery techniques and eventually introducing the Brazilian Rose stitch, a decorative stitch that added dimension and sculptural beauty to my work.
Today, every piece begins with watercolor.
I paint soft, dreamy figures often women and girls surrounded by flowers, leaves, and elements inspired by nature. Once the painting is complete, I begin the embroidery. Gold threads are often woven into the artwork alongside colored threads, adding texture, light, and movement. The stitches become an extension of the brushstrokes, transforming the flat surface into something more tactile and alive.
What I love most about combining watercolor and embroidery is the dialogue between the two mediums. Watercolor brings softness, transparency, and spontaneity, while embroidery adds structure, texture, and a sense of permanence. Together, they create a balance between painting and craft, between delicacy and strength.
What started as a practical solution during motherhood evolved into an artistic technique that has become an essential part of my creative identity. It taught me that limitations can sometimes open unexpected doors, leading us toward new forms of expression that we may never have discovered otherwise.
Every stitch I add to paper reminds me of that journey from adapting to change, to experimenting without knowing where it would lead, and finally to finding a unique way to tell my stories through art.