David Poyant
My name is David Poyant, and I didn’t follow the traditional path to becoming an artist. I am a cobbler by trade, with a background in shoe repair and handcrafted orthotics. I worked in the trade for 25 years and then completed my professional career in retail. Handcrafted artistry comes in many forms and provided me multiple pathways in work and art throughout my life. As I approached retirement, I pondered next steps. Always one to be working with my hands, I remembered my mother sitting in her chair knitting, cross stitching, and embroidering. She was always stitching something. Therefore, with no formal training, I picked up my needles, embroidery threads, and a stretcher at a hobby shop and started sewing. But what do I sew? I began by finding photographers who would allow me to embroider their work and I haven’t stopped stitching since then. Each thread-paint embroidery is hand stitched on artist canvas using both 1 and 2 strands of embroidery thread and can take up to 60 hours to complete. I have neither a college degree, nor any experience in advanced art or stitching classes. However, I have always had an eye for design and many experiences in my 68 years of life that inspired me to develop my artwork.
Handcrafting "thread-paint" embroidery is a constant reminder that one can find their passion at any time in life. For me, it was at the end of a retail career and picking up a thread and needle, not knowing if anyone else besides me would ever see any of my Thread Paintings later in life. I enjoy seeing the reactions people have when they realize they are not looking at a painting and then see the stitch-by-stitch effort that went into creating the one of a kind piece of art. I invite you to enjoy my Thread Paintings and encourage you to find your passion, whatever it is.
