For New York Textile Month

With Anette Millington, Travis Fitch, and Ragna Froda

Tuesday, September 29th from 12 pm - 2 pm

Kellen Auditorium

RSVP is required 

This artist/designer talk focuses on digital embroidery in creative work, expanding industrial applications to uncover unique human sensitivities of the machine stitch. The conversation will bring together Response Patterns, a collaborative project by Anette Millington and Travis Fitch, and artist Ragna Froda, to discuss experimentation, machine collaboration, and embroidered materiality. 

Response Patterns is a collaborative project that leverages Anette Millington’s expertise in pattern and print, and textile embellishment, with Travis Fitch’s in-depth knowledge of digital tools, geometry, 3D-printed embellishment, and architectural design. The ongoing study of geometric and biological patterning informs their research on machine embroidery. Considering the language of patterning- units, symmetries, and algorithmic scale- they work with the embroidery machine to create tactile symbols and surfaces. 

Ragna Froda is an Icelandic artist, curator, and educator with a background in fashion/ textile design. Her work focuses on the process of making, working with colors and textures, and the history and culture of symbols and patterns in textiles. Ragna will discuss her “Here we go again” series of digital embroideries. The artwork, originally sketched in ink, undergoes a transformation through embroidery, guided by her assistant Bobby, the embroidery robot. As a team, they explore life events, histories, and dreams. 

The talk will highlight shared interests in material experimentation to expand the lexicon of machine embroidery and add emotive and temporal qualities. Examples include the use of environmentally responsive materials, such as UV-sensitive threads, and textural substrates made from fabric collage and quilting. The conversation will also focus on interventions and design processes for working with digital embroidery software and improvisation between machine and maker. 

Presented by MFA Textiles