ABBY RAISZ
Abby is a hand embroidery artist based in Jamaica Plain, specializing in detailed threadpaintings of birds and other fauna. Driven by her family’s obsession with Massachusetts wildlife, she shows that embroidery is the perfect medium for birds, each stitch mimicking the texture and depth of bird feathers. She has stitched over 20 different bird species (and counting!)
Pick up this print at The Grove
ARTIST Q&A
Born: Boston
Currently lives: Jamaica Plain, MA
Title of artwork: Grey Catbird
What’s it about? I stitched this gray catbird for my sister, Eva. Every year we spend hours watching the catbirds meowing away at my dad’s bird feeders. What they lack in color they make up for in personality!
Where else can we find your work? On instagram @abroidery_
What would your last meal be? I’m allergic to gluten so if I’m gonna die anyway, a plate of really fresh pasta. Also a reuben
If it was your turn to host book club, which title would you choose? People before Highways: Boston Activists, Urban Planners, and a New Movement for City Making.
Go-to karaoke song? Ma Baker by Boney M. (or anything Boney M.)
Favorite place in Allston/Brighton for takeout? Bonchon, Jamaica Mi Hungry, Kaju Tofu House, the list goes on…
What have you learned about your creative practice over the last year? When I first started teaching myself embroidery in September 2020, I was so excited to practice and learn and was churning things out nonstop. As the weather got warmer and the world opened up a bit, my desire to create art dropped precipitously. For me, embroidery is definitely more of a winter craft, and there’s nothing wrong with taking a break or working at a slower pace as the seasons change!
A piece of advice you would give to your pre-pandemic self? Revel in the things you usually hate – crowded bars, overly expensive restaurant food, awkward parties.
