Ocean Embroidery Inspired by Satellite Images Showcase the Vast Beauty of the Sea

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

The Earth is a constant source of inspiration for artists. As we’ve seen time and again, creatives produce work that pays homage to the natural world, whether it's big or small. Danielle, aka Satellite Stitches, goes grand with her embroidery. Her intricate pieces are tiny studies of vast ocean satellite imagery. She uses thread to translate the blues, greens, and grays of the maps into tactile abstract works.

Danielle has long been drawn to the “satellite imagery of beautiful reefs and islands,” and it turned out to be an ideal subject to stitch—especially in 2020. “I picked up embroidery not long before the pandemic started and I really leaned into it as the stay-at-home orders progressed,” she tells My Modern Met. “It has been therapeutic and given me something to occupy my mind during the extended time away from family and friends.”

As Danielle has worked on her satellite stitches, she has allowed herself time to play and find the techniques that best convey the subject matter. “Early on, I experimented with some beadwork along with satin stitches,” she explains, “but have since discovered thread painting and have fallen in love with the finished look and how the colors blend so well.” When compared to the images they’re inspired by, it’s clear that thread painting makes her work shimmer like waves at the shore.

Danielle of Satellite Stitches creates intricate embroideries inspired by satellite images of the ocean.

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

Ocean Embroidery

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

Embroidery Inspired by Ocean Satellite Images

Embroidery Inspired by Ocean Satellite Images

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

Embroidery Inspired by Ocean Satellite Images

Embroidery Inspired by Ocean Satellite Images

Ocean Hoop Art Embroidery

Ocean Embroidery

Satellite Stitches: Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Satellite Stitches.

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Idyllic Seascapes Crafted With Embroidery Capture the Serenity of a Day on the Water

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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