QueenStitchQR

AKA Rachel Rose

A hand embroidered QR code in a simple white square frame which measures 10 inches wide, 10 inches high and 2 inches deep. The code has been made with plastic canvas, felt and tapestry wool and measures 3 x 3 inches square. When scanned, the code opens a PDF file of an alternative Conservative Party logo that has been doctored in Photoshop. The sky blue, scribbled tree is on fire (due to the addition of suitable clip art) and the word "conservatives" has been replaced with the phrase "Fuck The Tories" in the same font and colour as the original logo.

Artist Bio

After working for about six years as an actor I developed a severe mental illness. After responding well to treatment I had to re-evaluate my life and my work. Around 2013, I began to try my hand at different crafts including crochet, macrame, embroidery, seat weaving, paper cutting, lino printing and up cycling. I decided on cross stitch as my specialism because I could express political ideas in a beautiful way. Cross stitch also allows me to maintain good mental health. It gives me purpose and quality of life.

The QR codes came about when I was playing with a QR code generator. I knew I had to have a USP as a subversive stitch artist and no one else was producing hand stitched QR codes. Originally, I cross stitched them on 14 count plastic canvas with crochet cotton. This process took up the best part of an eight hour day. I then began making them on 10 count plastic canvas with tapestry wool which required only a half stitch. I can now produce a code in the space of 2 and a half hours.