We were lucky to catch up with Sam Price recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sam thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

When I first started my embroidery journey, I was so eager to share my work and get my name out there that I naively let the world know I was open for commissions…with no cap. While I was INCREDIBLY grateful for all the requests I was getting, it was hard to find time to give myself the freedom to create under the pressure of making something perfect for a paying customer.

Cut to last Halloween–I’ve always found beauty and lots of joy in the holiday and was feeling extra spooky. I gave myself permission to really cut loose and just make something that would make my heart smile. I thought about one of my favorite paintings of all time, La Femme Chauve-Souris (The Bat Woman) by Albert Pénot. I feverishly followed my creative instincts and made something that looked unlike anything else that I had stitched before.

Giving my creativity the permission it needed to soar (pun intended?) was just the balm I needed. Now, I know when I get stuck in a rut, its ok to refuel my creative juices with projects that let me experiment and tickle my brain.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always been very keen on storytelling. Whether it was reading, writing, or performing/working in theatre, I was always aware of the beats, tones, and pictures painted when a compelling yarn was spun. About two or three years ago, I noticed I wasn’t as artistically fulfilled as I thought I would be. I had tied a lot of my self-worth to a career that wasn’t giving much of anything back. I decided to give myself permission to try new things, to fail at a few, and find something that really made my heart sing.

In the summer of 2019, I finally found my medium–embroidery. Through needle and thread, I could calm my racing mind, create something beautiful, and tell a compelling and textured story.

Flash forward to now (through some serious forced indoor time that enabled me to practice and fall deeper in love with this ancient art); I decided to take this hobby to others and offer custom pieces. From family portraits and photograph replication to pop culture homage and poetry, I work to bring my client’s ideas to life and give them a final piece that they can cherish for a lifetime.

I work in needle and thread, as is traditional for embroidery, but I also work to make my pieces pop off the fabric through beadwork, three-dimensional work with wire, layered fabrics, found items, and even bits of moss and dried flower.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think I’m still unlearning it, but I got it into my head from an early age that nothing was worth doing unless it could be done perfectly. Throughout my artistic journey thus far…it’s really been the mistakes and risks that have made the most beautiful pieces. Pressuring myself to be perfect or not try something unless I KNEW it would work was limiting, and stunted my growth in a few areas of my life. Letting go of expectation and creating has made this whole thing worthwhile to me.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think this is particularly hard with social media. When people bravely show their work online (especially young artists) and are met with a barrage of disparaging comments…it makes them want to retreat into their shells and not show their art again. Spreading some love is the best way to remedy this. I’m not saying to lavish people who’s art you don’t like with praise, but perhaps, before you post a comment, stop to think if it’s your place to critique something someone spent so long on. If you’re trying to support someone who’s finding their voice and learning a craft, talk about what you DO like, i.e., “this is so colorful!” or “I love how joyful you are when you talk about your art.” Just that little bit of encouragement goes a long way.       

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thespricedstitch.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespricedstitch
• Facebook: facebook.com/thespricedstitch
• TikTok: @thespricedstitch Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespricedstitch To commission something, contact me on KRFTR: https://krftr.com/artist-showcase/profile/?usr=34