Textile Art

Hawthorn's current work explores the use of menstrual pads and pantyliners as the background fabrics for fine embroidery.

Intricate stitches highlight and embellish the often stereotypically feminine patterns imprinted on the surfaces of these products, never intended to be seen by anyone but the wearer.

By using fine art techniques to elevate these disposable commodities with complex social meanings, each piece invites reflection on what we display vs. what we conceal, what we preserve vs. what we discard, and what we consider clean vs. what we consider dirty.

Photo of a corner of an art gallery with hardwood floors and white walls. Seven framed embroideries on black backgrounds are hanging on the walls, and there is a French door in the centre of the image.

Formative, March 2019

An exhibition at the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador

Read the artist's statement, check out a news article on the exhibition, or listen to an interview with the artist on CBC radio (segment begins at 22:00).

Photo of colourfully labeled beer cans arranged in a semi-circle. One can sits on top of the others. Its label shows a pantyliner with an embroidery of a pink squid in a blue ocean.

Hawthorn's "Here There Be Monsters" was one of 30 works by woman artists that were featured on labels of Director's Cut, a special beer by Quidi Vidi Brewing Company celebrating the 30th anniversary of the St. John's International Women's Film Festival.

The cans were available across the province in October 2019.