Not embattled, embraced

“Not Embattled, Embraced.” 2016. 

Paint on fabric with stiffener, stuffing, stitching, embroidery, handmade glass beads. 7.3″ x 3.5″ x 1.5″. 

Thoughts of women’s (reproductive) health book, “Our Bodies, Ourselves” and Barbara Krueger’s, “Your body is a battleground.” 

Text on back of figure (cape) says, “Our bodies are our own. Not embattled, embraced.” 

Perhaps contradictory are the beads strapped to her chest, which remind me of armor and also weaponry, as if she is about to battle. 

In a recent conversation with a friend, I described a 20 minute conversation I have with myself when getting dressed to run or go to work, to go out to meet friends: Is this hemline too short and will it attract too much (unwanted) attention? How many times will I want to tell a guy to put his eyes away or quit commenting? Is this outfit appropriate for school (being with students)? What message does it send? Will I feel comfortable in this? Will I feel safe?

Breaking the Glass Ceiling, new sculptures in the works

Hand painted, stitched, stiffened, stuffed fabric with hand made glass beads. 2016. Iviva Olenick

An old New York that you don't really see...

I am thrilled to have made major progress on these coordinated pieces. The embroidered painting and doll share the memories and stories of a native New Yorker (Queens born) who now lives in Brooklyn and has seen the borough go through many changes.

As I continue developing Native/Immigrant City, my embroidered study of assimilation versus acculturation in richly textured, socioeconomically challenging Brooklyn, I am excited to find stories like these from natives. I also want to thank the Greater NY Arts Development Fund of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs administered by BAC for partial sponsorship of this project.

Coming up in May, I will be sharing the techniques I use to make the above pieces at Brooklyn Workshop Gallery at 393 Hoyt Street in Brooklyn near 3rd Street (and not too far from Whole Foods). Martine Bisagni, Director of the Gallery, is kindly hosting a Sewing and Embroidery Studio on Thursday May 21 and 28 and June 4th from 1-9pm. I will be on site from 6-9pm on those dates, sharing my techniques and processes and teaching embroidery basics.

Bearded Brooklyn

What do trends in facial hair say about the status quo? Beards are in in Brooklyn. Just in time for winter.

Watercolor and embroidery on fabric. 2014 by Iviva Olenick

Brooklyn Family and how has it been so long?

Dearest blog readers,

It feels like I've been on staycay, as it's been so long since we've talked. Balancing multiple trajectories (teaching, making art, research, planning, curating, Bushwick Open Studio visits, gallery meetings, art openings, design projects) + the Brooklyn Half Marathon have left me aflutter.

But I'm back.

Here is a rendering of my Brooklyn "family" in 3D - my pregnant alter-ego, my imaginary dog sharing the story of the night we met, and Bedekah, the imaginary friend of my neighbor's daughter and of little girls all over Brooklyn.

If you've really, really missed me, you can find me this Sunday aka tomorrow, 6/8 at TAC's 5th birthday celebration at the Small Works invitational show on the second floor. I am showing two of my 3D figures. Plus, there will be collaborative art making/weaving, and preparation of a new sewing seeds garden.
505 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, NY.

He stepped in a pool of red paint...

I may have mentioned that I started writing poetry again, inspired in part by the wonderful poets with whom I interacted through my @EmbroideryPoems project. In a direction related to that work but with a twist, I am stitching parts of poems on dolls and their accoutrements and environments. This is my first attempt at this new process, in which I put together bits and pieces of ideas from various other projects. It is a very time-consuming process!

A lot of work and ideas lie ahead! This is just an excerpt of a poem in which I and a number of others appear. I should mention that my poems are like stories written in poem form with some internal rhyming.

Obamacare, Year 1

I don't know about you, but the advent of a new market for health insurance in the United States has given me new flexibility in my work life, something I've wished for since graduating from college in 1997. No longer am I required to have a full-time job in order to be able to see a doctor. Woohoo!

In talking with friends, colleagues and business associates, I've heard many sides to this story. I'm excited; others are less so; some are even more ecstatic than I can imagine. 

What will happen this year?

If you have an Obamacare-related story to share, get in touch. I am planning to create an embroidered portrait of sorts of year one of this new legislation. Below is my own portrait - paint and embroidery on tyvek.

Brooklyn Bench, embracing fall

Opening tomorrow night at Muriel Guepin Gallery - 6:30-8pm. Stop by if you're around - 83 Orchard Street. Good art, wonderful artists, including Nathan Vincent and Kathy Halper...

My newest addition, below - stitched right up until the installation.

Embroidery, watercolor and applique. 2013. 

Latest embroidered selfie + look out for more images of new work...

Oh, Facebook. We never met, but...

"Visual assault of your Facebook
photos the morning after we
didn't meet. Your flimsy excuses
and unrepentant arrogance.

"Piecing him together from
Facebook and OkCupid photos.
We never met, yet I almost ended
up at his apt one night..."

Embroidery, watercolor, and
appliqué. 2013. 6" x 4.5"

Another piece for my December 13th show with Muriel Guepin Gallery. Stay tuned for opening reception and exhibition details!

Dyeing, repurposing and weaving with Weaving Hand Studio

Dyeing and drying the warp by hand with an iron. I actually hand painted the warp with watercolor wax pastels...

I also spent some time weaving, using cut-up, old t-shirts as "yarn" for the weft. 

Fun with 3 dimensions

So the fun of making jewelry and experimenting with 3 dimensions has led to more figurative experiments as well. Below is a piece in progress. I can't wait to continue and "finish" this "doll."

"Stitching Myself Together."
Watercolor, embroidery,
stitching, batting (fill)
appliqué. 2013. In progress.

Fall Sprawl

When the weather shifts even slightly in New York City, it's apparent immediately in people's fashion choices. The G and L trains are great places to spot people expressing themselves through clothing, as in my below sketch in homage to a woman I observed recently on my way home from Bushwick.

Using my new method of a very leaky watercolor drawing with embroidery on top, I recreated from memory a woman I observed from afar. I was mostly interested in her textured, brightly colored skirt, severe haircut, and heels...

Subverting the Pattern, en fin

New - Resident Teaching Artist at Brooklyn's Weaving Hand Studio

September has introduced some exciting changes! For one, the day job I'd had for 7 years as a textile designer came to a denouement. While I'm sad, it's opened the door for some unexpected opportunities. I'm now able to get back into hands-on weaving as a Resident Teaching Artist at Weaving Hand studio in Brooklyn. I'm so excited!


This comes at a perfect time, as I'm preparing for a December exhibit at Muriel Guepin Gallery. I feel as though some of my embroideries could use some 3-dimensional accompaniments...and I now have more time and access to the equipment with which to explore my ideas!


And I'm teaching embroidery at Weaving Hand in Brooklyn on two Sundays in September - September 22nd and 29th from 12-4pm. This 4-hour class is a great intro to classic stitches and ways to apply them to make artwork. Check out the workshops here.


In the meantime, here is a sneak peak at part of a larger-scale watercolor + embroidery piece I'm making, "Subverting the Pattern."

More to come soon!

Oh, Facebook

Upcoming show with Muriel Guepin Gallery in Fall 2013. Stay tuned for more details!!!

Crustacean support group

"Maybe I have to have a soft shell, be a soft shell crab so that I don't get smashed. But then I'll just end up in someone's sandwich." Crustacean Support Group.

Text by a friend for @EmbroideryPoems, BAC-sponsored project. 2013. 

Embroidery and watercolor on silk. 3"x3.75".

Paint Stains...

Sometimes, a piece just isn't finished. I updated this over the course of 18 hours, starting last night and ending just a few moments ago...

Selfies, i.e. love in the internet age

Sneak peak for an upcoming show in winter 2013 at Muriel Guepin Gallery, recently of the Lower East Side (formerly Cobble Hill).

#cantstopthinkingaboutyou

Spring renews.

#cantstopthinkingaboutyou. Embroidery and watercolor.
2013. Text by @EmbroideryPoems. 2.25" x 3.5"