Work samples

  • The Three Entangled Muses
    The Three Entangled Muses

    Three bird-headed figures intertwine with each other. Hand Embroidered bird heads include the Black-neck Stilt, Chinese Goose, and Indian Peafowl. Figures are based on Icelandic artist Hildur Erna Villiblom and are created with free motion and hand embroidery appliqued on toile decor fabric. 

    23" x 23" x 2" 

    Created 2024

    Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    Available for Purchase
  • Warrior Bird Women : Westobou Installation
    Warrior Bird Women : Westobou Installation

    Healing Warrior Bird Women, Westobou Gallery Installation, Summer 2024

    Jennifer McBrien’s striking Warrior Women Series features a dramatic departure from the typical confines of embroidery hoops, with vintage toile curtain panels cascading freely from their frames. McBrien’s hybrid figures, merging avian and female forms, symbolize the fragility of endangered species, evolving alongside the deteriorating fabric.  - curator Jennifer Chrzanowsk

    This series has premiered at the Bromo Arts Tower in Baltimore, part of the show Unraveling Threads” 'Emerge Baltimore - This is Baltimore Too’; It is part of “The Subversive Thread”, curated by Jennifer Chrzanowsk that started at the Westbou Gallery in Augusta, Georgia and is currently at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD.

     

    Available for Purchase
  • Tangled Up In Blue
    Tangled Up In Blue

    Tangled Up In Blue , 2024

    Toile decor remnants are appliqued and stitched onto canvas, with free-motion embroidered figures on organza that are hand stitched onto fabrics to float or appliqued to stay flat; hand embroidered blue thread and tassels.

    56" W x 66"H x 2”D

    Photo by Joseph Hyde

    First exhibited as part of  "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile,” Gallery B, Bethesda, MD. Currently part of the "Reverie & Alchemy " at Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD. until April 19, 2025.

    Available for Purchase
  • I Bring Marshmallow to Your Fire
    I Bring Marshmallow to Your Fire

    I Bring Marshmallows to Your Fire , 2024

    Freemotion and hand embroidery on organza and toile decor fabric. 

    27" x 18" x 2" 

     

    Exhibited in “Warp & Weft” Richard B. Talkin Family Art Gallery, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD, 2023 ( without hand embroidery)  and "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024 (with Hand Embroidery).

    Photo by Joseph Hyde 

    Available for Purchase

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About Jennifer

2024 OTW Artist   Baltimore City  

Jennifer McBrien, navigates the realm of embroidery with a skilled hand, intertwining freehand machine and hand stitching to create evocative portrayals of women, birds, and hybrid figures. Often featuring female bodies with bird heads, McBrien's compositions transcend traditional representations and delve into complex themes of femininity, liberation, and connection with nature. By incorporating the Toile pattern into her textile works, McBrien explores the historical and cultural… more

View Jennifer's Resume
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Warrior Bird Women Series

In this series, I invite the viewer to consider the relationship between the endangered species, the historical female body, and the broader themes of survival, healing, and transformation. The Warrior Women Series is not just an exploration of fragility; it is a testament to strength, continuity, and the power of narrative, both personal and universal.

Warrior Women Series pushes the fabric beyond the hoop, featuring a toile curtain panel cascading freely from a vintage embroidery hoop. Each panel becomes more aged (by dying with tea and grime) as the bird, represented by the head of the bird woman, becomes more endangered. The Ruff is the least endangered, and the Horned Grebe is the most vulnerable. The female bodies are taken from historical and contemporary paintings ranging from Ingres to Eric Fishel. Each bird woman is created with free-motion embroidery on organza fabric. Each warrior woman has a belly full of dried medicinal plants that would have been advantageous for me when I was treated for anal cancer. Threads from the warrior woman are sewn throughout the curtain panel to make subtle connections to the historical scenes found in the toile scene, mostly holding up or supporting the working women.

This series has premiered at the Bromo Arts Tower in Baltimore, part of the show Unraveling Threads” 'Emerge Baltimore - This is Baltimore Too’; It is part of “The Subversive Thread”, curated by Jennifer Chrzanowsk that started at the Westbou Gallery in Augusta, Georgia and is currently at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD.

 

  • Installation at Academy Art Musuem for Subversive Threads exhibit.
    Installation at Academy Art Musuem for "Subversive Threads" exhibit.
    Available for Purchase
  • Warrior Women Group
    Warrior Women Group

    Group of Four Original Warrior Women .

    Photo by Joseph Hyde. 

    Available for Purchase
  • Ruff Warrior Woman
    Ruff Warrior Woman

    Ruff Warrior Woman,2024. Freehand machine embroidery on organza, with head appliquéd on toile decor fabric curtain, and the figure hangs freely from the head down. Inside her belly is a collection of dried mountain mint. The medicinal value of mountain mint includes healthy digestion, fevers, colds, coughs, and menstrual disorders. The Ruff is the least vulnerable bird in this series.

    53” H x 36" W x 5” D

     

    Photo by Joseph Hyde 

    Available for Purchase
  • Close up of dried Mountain Mint in Ruff Woman belly
    Close up of dried Mountain Mint in Ruff Woman belly
  • Thread connecting Ruff Woman to Toile
    Thread connecting Ruff Woman to Toile
  • Bicknell's Thrush Warrior Woman
    Bicknell's Thrush Warrior Woman

    Bicknell's Thrush Warrior Woman,2024.  Freehand machine embroidery on organza, with head appliquéd on tea-dyed toile decor fabric curtain, figure hangs freely from head down. Inside her belly is a collection of dried ironweed. Iron weed’s medicinal value includes pain relief, treatment for stomach ulcers, bleeding, and digestion disorders, and is used to detox the body. The Bicknell Thrush is threatened by habitat alteration from human activities and climate change. Hence it has a conservative rating of vulnerable.

    53” H x 36" W x 5” D

     

    Photo by Joseph Hyde. 

    Available for Purchase
  • Golden Cheeked Warbler Woman
    Golden Cheeked Warbler Woman

    Golden-Cheeked Warbler Woman, 2024. Freehand machine embroidery on organza, with head appliquéd on tea-dyed toile decor fabric curtain, figure hangs freely from head down. Inside her belly is a collection of dried nigella. The medicinal value of nigella is stimulant to ease bowel and indigestion problems and is given to treat intestinal worms and nerve defects, reduce flatulence, and induce sweating. Numerous studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory,anti-oxidative,anti-mycotic, antibacterial,anti-fungal, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and antihistamine properties, possessing many properties that make it a potential remedy against certain diseases. The natural habitat of the Golden-Cheeked Warbler is fast declining as areas are cleared for development, farmland, and livestock. Due to decreasing populations, the conservation rating for the Golden-Cheeked Warbler is Endangered.

    53” H x 36" W x 5”D

    Photo By Joseph Hyde

    Available for Purchase
  • Horned Grebe Warrior Woman
    Horned Grebe Warrior Woman

    Horned Grebe Warrior Woman, 2024. Freehand machine embroidery on organza, with head appliquéd on tea and burnt pot grime dyed toile decor fabric curtain, figure hangs freely from head down. Inside her belly is a collection of dried milkweed. Milkweed was used as a painkiller, a pulmonary aid, and to treat diarrhea.  The Horned Grebe prefers inland wetland and neritic or coastal marine ecosystems and has been put on the vulnerable conservative rating. I added grime along with tea to toile curtain panel to emphasize the oils and pollution of our waters.

    53" H x 36" W x 5”D

     

    Photo By Joseph Hyde

    Available for Purchase
  • Horned Grebe Warrior Woman detail with milkweed
    Horned Grebe Warrior Woman detail with milkweed

    Horned Grebe Warrior Woman detail with milkweed 

    Available for Purchase
  • Preliminary Drawings on paper and Stitched on Organza
    Preliminary Drawings on paper and Stitched on Organza

    Preliminary Drawings on paper and Stitched on Organza

    •

    • Peeling off the Walls

    This series draws inspiration from the concept of torn wallpaper, symbolizing the act of peeling away layers to reveal glimpses of historical life. Throughout the fabric's narrative, a red or blue thread is intricately woven, symbolizing connection, blindfolding, guidance, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. It wraps around arms and fingers, pushing and pulling, telling a story of both connection and isolation—a continual yearning for communication despite differing perspectives.

    The hybrid bird women, crafted through freehand machine stitching on organza, serve as guardians, prognosticators, and soothsayers. Strategically hand-sewn onto specific areas of the composition, they contribute to the narrative of the artwork.

     

    Photos by Joseph Hyde

     

    • Tangled Up in Blue
      Tangled Up in Blue

      Toile decor remnants are appliqued and stitched onto canvas, with free-motion embroidered figures on organza that are hand stitched onto fabrics to float or appliqued to stay flat; hand embroidered blue thread and tassels.

      56" W x 66"H x 2”D

      Photo by Joseph Hyde

       

      First exhibited as part of  "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD. Currently part of the "Reverie & Alchemy " at Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD. until April 19, 2025.

       

      Available for Purchase
    • Faraway So Close
      Faraway So Close

      Faraway, So Close

      Freehand machine embroidery on organza for hybrid bird women with hand embroidery on toile remnants and felt pieced together and appliquéd onto canvas. Stretched on 54" X 54" heavy-duty stretcher strips.  Completed 2024

      The title alludes to Wim Wenders' film of the same name, exploring the polarities within a newly unified Berlin and reflecting on the contrasting aspects of contemporary life.

      The final piece is stretched on a 54" x 54" frame, with parts extending about 18" below and 2" off the sides, creating a visually striking and immersive composition

       

      First exhibited as part of  Bromo Arts Tower in Baltimore, part of the show Unraveling Threads” 'Emerge Baltimore - This is Baltimore Too’, also part of "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile,” Gallery B, Bethesda, MD. Currently part of the "Reverie & Alchemy " at Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD. until April 19, 2025.

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde

      Available for Purchase
    • detail , Tangled up in Blue
      detail , "Tangled up in Blue"

      Detail of freemotion embroidery on organza that is layered over toile decor fabric. 

    • Tangled up in Blue , detail
      "Tangled up in Blue" , detail

      Detail of freemotion embroidery on organza that is layered over toile decor fabric. 

    • detail, Tangled up in Blue
      detail, "Tangled up in Blue"

      Detail of organza overlay with freemotion embroidery, blue thread and tassle.

    • Detail: Faraway so Close
      Detail: Faraway so Close

      Detail of layering effect of organza and hand embroidery

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    • Faraway So Close, detail
      Faraway So Close, detail

      Detail of layering effect of organza and hand embroidery 

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde

    • Faraway So Close, detail
      Faraway So Close, detail
    • Faraway So Close, detail
      Faraway So Close, detail

      Detail of layering effect of organza and hand embroidery 

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde

    • Faraway So Close, work in progress
      Faraway So Close, work in progress

      Once the piece was stretched on the stretchers strips, I was able to lay the pipe on my work table to add hand embroidered details. 

    •

    • They Come in Three

    They Come in Three is my series that is based on the Three Graces. Drawing upon the historical symbolism associated with the three graces, I sought to embody positive and uplifting emotions, values, and qualities within my bird-woman.

     

    All figures are based on historical or contemporary artworks that feature three figures that are bound or connected together. Figures are created with free-motion embroidery on organza with hand-embroidered bird heads. 

    • The Three Entagled Muses
      The Three Entagled Muses

      Three bird-headed figures intertwine with each other. Hand Embroidered bird heads include the Black-neck Stilt, Chinese Goose, and Indian Peafowl. Figures are based on Icelandic artist Hildur Erna Villiblom and are created with free motion and hand embroidery appliqued on toile decor fabric. 

      23" x 23" x 2" 

       

      Created 2024

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

       

      Available for Purchase
    • detail, The Entangled Muses
      detail, The Entangled Muses

      detail of Hand Embroidered bird heads 

    • The Healing Three Graces, 2022
      The Healing Three Graces, 2022

      The Healing Three Graces, 2022. Freehand machine and hand embroidery on organza and cotton on decor fabric. Stretched in a vintage wooden embroidery hoop. 23" X 23" X 1.5"

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    • Hummingbird Woman detail
      Hummingbird Woman detail

      Hand embroidered head and wings. 

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    • The Earth's Three Graces, 2022
      The Earth's Three Graces, 2022

      "The Earth Three Graces" is a fiber piece that includes freehand machine stitching with hand embroidery bird heads. Figures are freehand machine stitched on organza and organic cotton. Heads and adornments are created with hand embroidery. Birds, from left to right are the California Quail, Western Thrush and Eskimo Curlew. Birds that represent earth colors and unique qualities as well as their vulnerable conservation levels. Bird women are appliquéd and reinforced stitched on decor fabric that is stretched and attached to a vintage wooden embroidery hoop measuring 23” X 23” X 1.5” . This piece was created in 2022. 

       

      This piece was part of two juried exhibits. One at the Atlantic Gallery in Chelsea of New York City in January 2023,“B23” Juried exhibit of 25 Artists for Artscape, Baltimore, MD, 2023, “Maryland State Arts Directory Triennial Exhibit, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD.2023, "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024, “Reverie&Alchemy”, Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD. 2025

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • Fighting Three Graces detail
      Fighting Three Graces detail

      Hand embroidered bird heads.

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    • Detail of Hand Embroidered Peacock feathers
      Detail of Hand Embroidered Peacock feathers
      Available for Purchase
    • Detail of Hand embroidered Black-neck Stilt head
      Detail of Hand embroidered Black-neck Stilt head
    • Barn Owl Woman detail
      Barn Owl Woman detail

      Hand embroidered barn owl head 

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

    • Preliminary Sketch for Fighting Three Graces
      Preliminary Sketch for Fighting Three Graces

    • The Guardians

    In these works, my bird women, women, and birds engage with scenes depicted in decor toile fabrics. The toile scenes serve as a symbolic reference to humanity's progressive encroachment on natural and cultural landscapes and the resulting consequences of exploiting Earth's resources. This series is prompting my bird warriors to intervene, educate, and safeguard the future. 

     

    • Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle
      Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle

      "Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle", 2023. Ms. Spoonbill stands at watch with her walking stick while Greater Prairie Chicken woman watches from the tree. They are partnered up by a Dark eyed vireo and red headed woodpecker. Both bird women are freehand machine stitched on cotton fabrics with hand-embroidered heads. Both birds are hand embroidered on cotton. All figures and birds are appliquéd and reinforced stitched onto a vintage curtain panel, stretched on a vintage 18" embroidery hoop.

      18" x 18" x 1" 

      Exhibited in “Harford 100-Mile Biennial Exhibition”, juried group show, Chesapeake Gallery, Belair, MD in 2023 and "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD in 2024.

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle, detail
      Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle, detail

      Ms. Spoonbill Goes to Battle, detail showing hand embroidery 

    • Under the Bushes
      Under the Bushes

      "Under the Bushes" features two reclining figures freehand machine stitched on cotton, and four hybrid bird-headed women that are also freehand machine drawn but in organza. They appear to be protecting the two reclining women and hiding under the bushes from the boys found in the toile fabric. Barkcloth flowers have been cut out, appliquéd, and stitched onto the toile fabric. Added layers of organza have been appliquéd for sky, ground, and shadow. 

      Stretched and framed in a vintage wooden embroidery hoop measuring 26” X 17” X 1”, 2023

      Exhibited in : “Warp & Weft” Richard B. Talkin Family Art Gallery, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD, 2023, “Figure”, Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC., 2024 and "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024.

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • Under the Bushes, detail
      Under the Bushes, detail

      Under the Bushes, detail showing hand embroidery 

    • The Guardians
      The Guardians

      The Guardians featured four figures that are freehand machine stitched. Three of the figures have bird heads and one gracious fish crow woman has wings. Hand embroidery has been used to emphasize the pattern from the narrative toile scene fabric to give these figures a powerful feeling of strength as well as transparency.

      Bird women are appliqued and reinforced stitched on decor fabric that is stretched and attached to a vintage wooden embroidery hoop measuring 23” X 23” X 1.5”. This piece was created in 2022.

      This piece was part of the juried Maryland Artist Directory show at Maryland Art Place, in Baltimore, MD,2023., “B23” Juried exhibit of 25 Artists for Artscape, Baltimore, MD, 2023, “What If?”, Gallery 114,  Juried Group themed show, Portland, OR., 2023, and "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile,” Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • The Guardians, detail
      The Guardians, detail

      The Guardians, detail  showing hand embroidery 

    • Ms. Sage Grouse and the Woodcock Try to Save the Day
      Ms. Sage Grouse and the Woodcock Try to Save the Day

      "Ms. Sage Grouse. and the Woodcock Try to Save The Day" is a fiber piece that features freehand machine and hand embroidery . A seated Sage Grouse woman is a freehand machine stitched on organza that is then appliqued and reinforced stitch onto Toile decor fabric that was originally a proper drape. Her head is hand embroidered, layering color embroidery thread to create depth and form. She sits on a manhole cover created with freehand machine stitching on felt. She sits opposite of an American Woodcock, created by freehand machine painting, creating color and depth by layering color threads. He also stands on a felt manhole cover, freehand stitched on the sewing machine. All added features are appliqued and reinforced stitched onto the upcycled curtain. 

      The Final piece is stretched onto an 18" X 9" half circle wooden, vintage embroidery hoop.This piece was completed in 2022.

       

      "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024, “Reverie&Alchemy”, Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD.,2025.

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

       

       

       

      The Final piece is stretched onto an 18" X 9" half circle wooden, vintage embroidery hoop.This piece was completed in 2022.

      Available for Purchase
    • Sage Grouse Detail
      Sage Grouse Detail

    • The Red Line Knows

    The red line can be referred to as crossing out, correcting, or connecting.  Being brought up during the red ink phase of education, where teachers used red ink to cross out and make corrections over handwritten letters, it had always given me a bad taste in my mouth. Now, that practice is frowned upon, if not forbidden! It also can be seen in crime dramas connecting suspects to suspects and crime to locations. My red line is a red thread that presents a dialogue, thought , idea between my warrior bird women and the narrative toile.

     

    All pieces are 24” H x 12” W. Bird women are free-motion embroidered on organza. appliqued and reinforced stitched onto the toile decor fabric.

     

    Works were all created in 2024 and part of "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD 2024-2025.

    • Golden-Cheeked Warbler Warrior Woman Makes her Mark
      Golden-Cheeked Warbler Warrior Woman Makes her Mark
      Available for Purchase
    • Ruff Warrior Woman The Puppeteer
      Ruff Warrior Woman The Puppeteer
      Available for Purchase
    • Northern Mockingbird Warrior Gets it Done
      Northern Mockingbird Warrior Gets it Done
      Available for Purchase
    • Horned Grebe Warrior Woman Pushes and Pulls
      Horned Grebe Warrior Woman Pushes and Pulls
      Available for Purchase
    • American Woodcock Warrior Enforces Her Method for Equality
      American Woodcock Warrior Enforces Her Method for Equality
      Available for Purchase
    • Golden Cheeked Warble Warrior Works on her Support System
      Golden Cheeked Warble Warrior Works on her Support System
      Available for Purchase
    • Ruff the Supporter & Puppeteer II
      Ruff the Supporter & Puppeteer II
      Available for Purchase
    • Bicknell's Thrush Warrior Woman Wants to Reason
      Bicknell's Thrush Warrior Woman Wants to Reason
      Available for Purchase
    •

    • In Dialogue

    In Dialogue introduces my bird woman and women to the conversations illustrated in toile decor fabrics. Utilizing free-motion embroidery on organza, cotton, or felt, I rendered each element—figures, birds, and plants. Hand Embroidery is used to emphasize the story.

     

     

     

     


     

    • I'll Bring Marshmallows to Your Fire
      I'll Bring Marshmallows to Your Fire

      Freemotion and Hand embroidery on organza and toile decor fabric.

       

      Measures 18" h x 27" w v 2" D

      Created 2024

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde. 

      Available for Purchase
    • The Hard Conversation
      The Hard Conversation

      Bird women are created with free motion machine stitching for line work, hand embroidery for bird heads, and additions to figures on toile decor fabric.  Stretched and framed in a 23" vintage embroidery hoop.  2023

       The Hard Conversation – “I am a fan of how Jennifer is looking back into history using textiles as a ready-made material to provide an unsanitized narrative scene of interrogating the past with the help of flora and fauna and women.” - Chotsanie Elaine Dean, juror for “The Art of Craftsmanship,” Peters Valley of Craft, Layton,

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Exhibited in the following juried art exhibits: “B23” Juried exhibit of 25 Artists for Artscape, Baltimore, MD, in 2023, “Maryland State Arts Directory Triennial Exhibit, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD., “The Art of Craftsmanship,” Peters Valley of Craft, Layton, NJ, 2024, and "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD 2024-2025.

      Available for Purchase
    • Tug-a-war
      Tug-a-war

      "Tug a War" is a fiber piece that features two "Fish Crow Women" freehand machine stitched on organza.  Bird women are appliquéd and reinforced stitched on toile decor fabric that is stretched and attached to a vintage wooden embroidery hoop measuring 23” X 23” X 1.5”. 

       

      The red thread is hand stitched to make a connection between the printed working woman in the toile fabric and the two crow women.

      Part of the "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024

      This piece was created in 2024.

       

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • The Squawking Display
      The Squawking Display

      Freehand Machine stitched figures on organza. Appliquéd and reinforced stitched onto toile decor fabric. Heads are hand embroidered Stretched in a 20” x 12” x 1” wooden embroidery hoop.

      Created in 2024

      "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024

      Photography by Joseph Hyde

      Available for Purchase
    • Waiting for the Fete
      Waiting for the Fete

      Waiting for the Fete, 2023

      Free-motion and hand embroidery on organza, cotton, barkcloth, and toile decor fabric. 

      20" x 12" x 1"

      "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024

      Available for Purchase
    • Ruff and Ready
      Ruff and Ready

      Freehand machine stitched woman and ruff headed woman on organza , appliquéd on toile decor fabric, stretched in a vintage wooden embroidery hoop measuring  27” W X 18” H X 2”D.  

      "Unraveling Narratives: A Dialogue in Toile”, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD, 2024 and “Reverie&Alchemy”, Center for the Arts Gallery. Towson University, Towson, MD, 2025

       

       

    • Turkey Vulture in Toile
      Turkey Vulture in Toile

      Free-motion embroidery on organza, applique on toile decor fabric. 

       18" x 18" x 1" 2022

       

      Available for Purchase
    • Ruff Gal in Mt. Vernon
      Ruff Gal in Mt. Vernon

      Ruff Gal is free-motion embroidered on organza and appliqued on toile fabric featuring George Washington's Mt. Vernon home. 

      18" x 18" x 1" 

      Created in 2022

      Photography by Joseph Hyde 

      Available for Purchase
    • Turkey Vulture and Ruff in Toile Canversation
      Turkey Vulture and Ruff in Toile Canversation

      Turkey Vulture and Ruff in Toile Conversation, Installation at the Academy Art Museum, Easton, MD  for "The Subversive Thread", 2024-25. 

      Available for Purchase
    •

    • Hanging them Out to Dry , 2019-present

    “Hanging Them Out to Dry, a visceral commentary on the plight of endangered birds. Hung on a clothesline, embroidered vintage napkins evoke a sense of vulnerability, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard threatened species from extinction.”- The Academy Art Museum

    This piece is an ongoing piece that was installed and documented throughout numerous areas of the Château De Bouthonvillers in Dangeau, France, during my artist residency (Atelier Artist in Residency Program) in October 2023. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with composer Adina Forsberg of Stockholm, Sweden. This first video of my project is the result of this project. It has since been part of the “Subversive Threads” exhibit, first installed at the Westboro Gallery in Augusta, Georgia before its installation at the Academy Art Museum where it currently hangs until March 30, 2025.

     

    • "Hanging Them Out to Dry" film

      Jennifer McBrien started her hand-embroidered bird project in 2019 to honor the diminishing bird population occurring due to Climate Warming. Her birds are embroidered on vintage linens that she received from people's collections of family heirlooms. Adena Forsberg's composition of Arvegods (Heritage) is a contemporary interpretation of two pieces of folk music, both from Norrbottenn. It's a place  County in Swedewhere communities grow smaller, where stores close, and where traditions and history get lost with each generation. In Arvegods, the music mirrors the melancholy and sadness that, no matter the metaphors, are so innately human. Who will mourn our lost heritage if no one knows what is lost? McBrien and Forsberg met in October 2023 during a three-week Atelier Artist Residency at the Chateau Bouthonvilliers, a castle not far from Chartres, France. The artists found a partnership in marrying their work together.

    • Installation in front yard of Installation at Chateau Bouthonvillier
      Installation in front yard of Installation at Chateau Bouthonvillier
    • Installation at Chateau Bouthonvilliers Gates
      Installation at Chateau Bouthonvilliers Gates
    • IMG_0868.jpeg
      IMG_0868.jpeg

      Hand Embroidered birds on vintage linen napkins, Installed at the Chapel at Château De Bouthonvillers, Dangeau, France. October 26, 2023. Part of the Atelier Artist in Residency Program.

    • Westobou Gallery Installation
      Westobou Gallery Installation

      Westobou  Gallery Installation, Augusta, Georgia. Part of the Subversive Thread show, Summer 2024

    • Belted Kingfisher
      Belted Kingfisher

      Belted Kingfisher , hand embroidered on vintage linen

    • Hanging them out to Dry, Wood Duck .jpg
      Hanging them out to Dry, Wood Duck .jpg
      Hand embroidery on vintage linen napkin
    • Hanging them out to Dry Barn Owl , 2019
      "Hanging them out to Dry" Barn Owl , 2019
      Hand Embroidered Barn Owl on vintage linen napkin
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