Introducing Dr. Jack Roberts, aka JPR Stitch, a fine-art artist whose primary medium is freehand machine embroidery. “My art is formed from simple organic flowing abstract shapes but is constructed from a dense and complex web of stitch,” said Roberts. “My stitching is a reflection of the calmness, tranquility, and contentedness that I feel when sitting at the sewing machine and creating. Sewing is my meditation, and the art emerges from this experience.”
I had always liked textiles. This came from my mum and nan who both used textiles: knit, crochet, cross stitch etc., as a hobby. I too found a passion for textiles but then took it from a hobby and craft into fine art. When I was at university, I found freehand machine embroidery as a way to express myself. Sitting at the sewing machine for hours at a time is my happy place, and because I have done so much of it in the past, I got past the idiosyncrasies and nuances of the process. I know my ‘medium’ so well that when I sit to stitch, I don’t think about the mechanics, instead my creativity flows through me and out into the artwork.
As I create, I work to find balance—balance within my art and balance within the colors, shapes, and forms so that the final piece emanates a sense of balance to the observer. Sometimes my art is simple, and sometimes it is complex. There is often meaning to the colors, shapes, and designs that I use. They are often a reflection of my mood or emotions. However, I never reveal the underlying meanings of how the artworks make me feel, or what they represent. I would rather people find their own meaning within the art.
I have come to understand that my overthinking mind is not helpful to my practice. When I overthink, my creativity fails to flow, and I stop making. I enter a state of analysis paralysis. But when I sit to stitch, all of that ‘overthinking’ melts away. I drift off and relax; I become at one with the process. While I am sitting and stitching, my mind wanders off, ideas come to me, and thoughts arrive. My inspiration flows as I make, but it dries up when I start to overthink.
Fearless is a good phrase—my art comes from the experience of creating. So, whether I am in a state of calmness, tranquility, anxiety or stress, each piece is important as it reflects me at that moment. Therefore, there is no wrong decision, no bad artworks. There is nothing to fear.
I decided that I needed to find a way to share my art, and social media seemed a good and quite democratic way to do it. At this stage, I was pressing hard with daily practice and sewing every day, so I decided to bring that to Instagram, too. I started sharing every day and, as I got more comfortable with the process, it soon changed from a ‘portfolio’ of my art and became my daily diary about my art and practice. This seemed to really resonate with people. People seemed to enjoy following my journey and reading about what I am doing and thinking. I hope that you have enjoyed finding out about me, my art, and my practice. To find out more, follow me here: jprstitch.com ׀ @jpr_stitch
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Cami Smith is the Fiber Art Now media manager, community engagement coordinator, and a mixed-media artist.
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