Alanna Stapleton is an illustrator currently working primarily with hand embroidery to explore the irony and humor found in everyday experiences. Through her work, Stapleton finds significance in the seemingly insignificant day-to-day weirdness. By depicting the vulnerability and humor of daily routines, she seeks to find relatability.

Stapleton’s work often deals with the guilt of not fulfilling duties or meeting standards, especially those set for women. She is interested in subverting ways embroidery has been used to reinforce traditional femininity and celebrating ways needlecraft has been used for resistance. 

Stapleton’s thesis project, Cry If You Want To, is a collection of customizable embroidery patterns designed to finally make crying in public easy. These patterns and accompanying instructional materials will teach viewers how to hand embroider images and phrases that explain their emotions on a handkerchief so that those around them will know whether to tell a joke, call 911, or leave them the hell alone.

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Be sure to join us on Friday, May 11th from 6-9pm at the MFA Graduate Studios to enjoy Alanna‘s thesis work, along with the other 2018 graduates!

MFA Thesis Exhibition and Reception

For more information: visit Alanna Stapleton online.

Artist portrait by Shun Yong