The back of an embroidery is usually hidden from view, but American artist Cayce Zavaglia celebrates the verso image in her large-scale portraits that can be viewed from both sides — a metaphor for the public and private self.

In this talk, Zavaglia will discuss her obsession with the verso side of her embroidered portraits and the parallels to the “other side” we each possess. She will share her journey from paint to embroidery and back again, and show examples of recent large-scale works which challenge traditional needlework etiquette and the preconceived expectations of hand embroidery. Zavaglia’s works are a celebration of her childhood love of craft, her training as a painter and her life as both a mother and maker.

About Cayce Zavaglia

Cayce Zavaglia earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Wheaton College in 1994 and her Master of Fine Arts in painting from Washington University in 1998. She mounted her first solo museum exhibition of embroideries and verso paintings in 2014 at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Her works are included in the permanent collections of the 21c Museum and the University of Maine’s Zillman Museum of Art, the West Collection and numerous private collections. Zavaglia lives and works in St. Louis, Missouri, and is represented by William Shearburn Gallery.

How to Participate

To participate, register online to get a link and instructions for joining the program on Zoom. Simply follow that link at the time the event starts (7 p.m. EDT). When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.

About Contemporary Voices

Meet innovative artists and scholars whose practice draws on textile materials, techniques or knowledge. This series is hosted by the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum presented in partnership with the Textile Society of America and is supported through the museum’s Cynthia and Alton Boyer Fund for Education.