Years ago, during my 5 year study, I went to London for a year. I remember my first visit to a bookstore on Oxford Street. There I found a beautiful book called "Glorious Needlepoint" by Kaffe Fassett.
I couldn't stop thinking about it, so with the first money I earned, I bought that fantastic book! And it's still with me! It has a place of pride on my bookshelf. So, I have to say that it all started from that book!

For years I was watching that book, longing and setting aside.

And one day I decided to try!
I took a notebook, borrowed some crayons from my small daughters, and started to draw by hand, square by square my first design. At first it wasn't perfect, but it was a necessary step in my development.
Now I use a professional graphics program to design my works.
Things changed!

From that time, from that first step I made I finally found my way...

And I started to use that dignified, dated from the ancient Egyptians, handmade embroidery technique called 'NEEDLEPOINT' to realize my own very modern and unusual for that technique designs.

Needlepoint designs are usually very refined, elegant, and quite serious. Why is that so? When you devote a lot of time to something, (and needlepoint is a very time-consuming technique), you take your work seriously and it is quite natural to choose rather serious motifs and themes such as running horses, William Morris' flower garden, or Mona Lisa's smile.
I am definitely more fascinated by the possibility of making this extremely labor-intensive process more fun! That is why I cover my canvases with everyday objects such as pliers, screwdrivers, or my "Lady in the Bath" with her rich red curls and naked knees showing flirtatiously above the surface of the water...

...and why not? The most amusing and inspiring thing to me is combining needlepoint -this exquisite, refined style of embroidery that dates back to the ancient Egyptians - with a little irony and indulgence.
I have a smile on my face throughout the whole process, from creating the design to the slow and patient stitching on the canvas.
I believe that smiles and laughter are perfect remedies to cure everyday sorrows and I secretly hope that my projects will bring a smile to your face!

So NOW I am a REBEL EMBROIDERER MINIMALIST.

And a teacher too :)
As I just started to do my needlepoint workshops.
And I love doing it!

I am a very happy person!