Mary Lee Chisholm-Morgan - Bunka Embroidery Artist and Instructor

Watching a student learn the beautiful art of Bunka Embroidery is absolutely amazing!  What makes my day, as a well respected teacher, is when a student goes beyond the basic stitches and experiments with different techniques to create a unique picture on their own!  Their joy is my joy!

Now that most of the Classes are completed for the Spring Session, it is time to Celebrate our accomplishments together!  Spending time with my students is important.   This Thursday, we are meeting for lunch to enjoy each others company. 

Once a bunka enthusiast learns the numerous stitches, and can incorporate one's knowledge of dimension, the person can spread their wings and create their own pictures!  What a joy to see this happen with my students!

In March of 2017, an exceptional art instructor, Carey Smith, left this earthly world.   He taught his students about life's colourful mosaics.  Everything in nature is made up of a wide variety of colours.  He taught us that the blending of colours is what creates dimension in life and on any canvas.  Carey is a person, who will be fondly remembered by those whose life he touched. 

Thanks to all in the following companies, who have encouraged me to move forward and continue in this beautiful artwork of Japanese Bunka Embroidery.   ThreadArtist International, Bunka With Flair, Bunka Shishu Artisans, The Finished Picture and BunkaCraft.

When someone sees a Bunka Embroidery picture being created by an experienced stitcher, it looks like it would be easy to do.

When explaining this to my students, I compare learning this art work to playing the piano.   We all want to get to the music.   However, if we do the scales, it strengthens our fingers, and makes the finished piece flow so much better.   The same is true of Bunka Embroidery.   Stitching on the Sampler, is like playing scales.   It makes one a better stitcher when the techniques are practiced properly first, before taking on a challenging piece or picture!

Over the years, the knowledge of different techniques, makes every stitcher's picture look very professional.