We recently connected with Mary Rochford and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Mary thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on have been my two embroidery pieces, “Undone” and Let Go.”
A few years ago, I learned how to embroider with a small pattern I bought on Etsy. My intention wasn’t to become an embroidery artist — it was just a way to keep my hands busy, binge-watch TV, and avoid my long to-do list. But as soon as I began, I felt connected to the work. I loved the repetition of it, the meditative energy of aligning stitches perfectly. At that point, I had been painting for a few years and I was quickly motivated to draw my own pattern for my next embroidery project.

If I have one true gift, it’s the ability to think, “How hard could it be?” My lack of experience with embroidery allowed my imagination to soar. I wanted to create something big, bold, and unlike anything I’d seen made with thread. I drew a pattern on a 24×30″ canvas and assumed the project would take me a couple of weeks to complete.

Four months later, I laid my last stitch. My piece, titled “Undone,” depicts a woman slouched in a chair, unraveling into a pile of mess and thread — a reflection of that season of my life. It felt emotionally vulnerable and technically impressive. I was proud of myself. “Let Go” was created almost exactly a year later.

“Undone” and “Let Go,” remain two of my favorite works. I love showcasing these pieces, watching people approach and realize they’re made from thread, not paint. I continue pushing the boundaries of embroidery as an art form and hope to evolve associations of embroidery from a craft to a fine art medium.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an El Paso-born, Austin-based artist who specializes in large-scale embroidery and figurative painting. My work often depicts women, using surreal imagery and bold colors to convey deep emotions.

As a fourth-generation artist, I like to think my instincts are inherited from a long line of women who painted the world around them. I never received formal training as a visual artist, but I grew up watching my mom paint portraits and my dad perform with his band. Expressing myself through art felt like a rite of passage.

My first in life love was acting. I loved studying characters, and in many ways, my interest in human behavior has been the common thread in all my creative work. About five years ago, I stepped away from acting and returned to painting. It was something I had done as a child but had left behind. Painting felt like coming home. Embroidery soon followed, with equal interest.

I focus on women in my art because I’m in awe of them — by the inner worlds we all carry and what might emerge if we could express our feelings with clarity and without judgment. I seek out those fleeting moments, to see someone clearly enough to create something new and beautiful.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that I needed to focus solely on my art as a career. In addition to my work as an artist, I have a fulfilling career in communications and disability advocacy.

Having a career outside of painting and embroidery gives me the time and financial security to create art that interests me. It also broadens my perspective, taking me out of my bubble as an artist and allowing me to experience life, which in turn inspires my work.

Rather than focusing on creating the most marketable products, I can take risks in developing my brand and body of work. This approach has helped me build strong relationships with collectors and galleries. I’ve found people who connect with what I create, rather than just what is most marketable to a broader audience. While being a full-time artist is a wonderful goal, it is not the only goal.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Making art is a privilege. So many people have the talent but lack the time and resources to develop their craft. I’m grateful that I can continue creating art that resonates with others. Recently, a collector shared that one of my paintings had inspired her during a major life transition. She told me she looked at it each morning, and it made her feel resilient and beautiful. That meant so much to me.

Being an artist often involves sitting alone, trying to capture an elusive feeling and make it whole and clear. Hearing that my work can positively impact someone’s relationship with themselves is incredibly motivating.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maryrochfordart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary.rochford.art/

Image Credits

Photos by Neil Ghandi