Artist Spotlight: Alexandrina Dordea

Embroydica
Jun 23
5 min read

Your embroidery often centers on insects and natural forms. What initially drew you to these subjects, and what continues to hold your attention over time?

About six or seven years ago, I was helping my son with his English homework about Egypt. There was an interesting story about a beetle artefact. At that time, I was in a creative block, and that story really inspired me.

That year, I created my first beetle. It was also the beginning of my work with padding.

In the following years, I made four more beetles. After that, I wanted to explore other insects, because they are so diverse in form, texture, and colour. It felt like a good opportunity to explore padding and embellishment.

I decided to spend a full year working only on insects. I wanted to understand them better and learn everything I could, both about the insects themselves and about the embroidery techniques required to create them.

You work across several techniques, including tambour, goldwork, stumpwork, and others, with tambour playing a central role in your practice. What does tambour embroidery allow you to express that other forms of embroidery do not?

Tambour was the first embroidery technique I fell in love with. All the other techniques came later, to fill the gaps.

I find tambour both simple and complex at once, and that is its beauty.

All the techniques I use are there to express or explore something. They complete each other when it comes to a vision or an idea, and are essential in my work. But tambour remains my comfort technique. Even now, when I need a break from a larger project, I do a small tambour piece just to clear my mind. It helps me reset.

Your work balances scientific observation with artistic interpretation. How do you decide what to render with precision and where to allow yourself more freedom?

I think this comes down to my personal vision and also my limitations.

When I first started working on insects, the pieces were moving in a more abstract direction, away from the real form. But I didn’t have a clear vision of how to push that abstraction further.

So I chose to stay closer to the real structure of the insect. It gave me a direction and boundaries that kept me on the path to my goal.

The textures in insects are so amazing that they can be a work on their own. I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be explored in terms of creativity.

Many of your pieces feel almost architectural in structure. How do you approach planning and composition before you begin stitching?

This is the longest part of the process. The idea stays in my head for a few months before I actually start working on it.

Once I establish the form, I begin planning the padding. I think about how to elevate or focus on the specific characteristics of that insect. Sometimes this can be done with padding alone, and sometimes in combination with other techniques. For example, placing larger beads over smaller padding can elevate the structure and emphasise the shape of the insect.

At this stage, I draw the shape from different angles and calculate the height and length needed for the different layers of padding. I start grouping the materials to see what I have available and what I can use.

Many ideas for embellishment come during this part of the process, because I can physically see which threads, beads, or materials will work best together. Seeing them side by side helps me decide how to combine them in a way that supports the structure and highlights the form.

Another important part of planning is staying open to change. Sometimes there is an error in the design, or the original vision doesn’t correspond to how it actually looks once stitched. Adjustments have to be made in the middle of the process. It is a big part of planning and building the piece.

You’ve created an online class and also sell embroidery instructions through your Etsy shop. What motivated you to document and share your process in this way?

When I created my online course in 2019, the main reason was to help others learn the basics of tambour embroidery. At that time, there were very few tutorials available at a reasonable price. Few could afford a full class in France or in the UK, which were basically the only options to learn Luneville embroidery, at that time.

When I started, it took me months just to research and learn the basic stitch on my own. I had to figure out how to use minimal tools and materials. I kept going despite many failed attempts and frustration, and that experience is part of why I still do embroidery today.

I wanted to create something that could save others from going through the same struggles I did.

Later, I started creating instructionals because people asked for them, and it felt natural to share what I had learned.

What considerations or challenges came up when translating such tactile techniques into written and digital formats?

I am by profession a graphic designer, and that made this part easier. I’m used to structuring information and creating graphics.

In addition to your framed embroidery work, you’ve recently begun creating embroidered clutches. What inspired you to explore this new format?

I guess curiosity. Creating embroidered clutches was more of a one-time thing. I don’t see myself pursuing it long-term.

How does working on functional objects like clutches differ from creating flat embroidery pieces, both technically and creatively?

Working on functional objects like clutches is a totally different world from what I usually do. There’s much more involved, from making the pattern for the clutch itself, which is outside my expertise, to adjusting measurements for the embroidery.

It requires more technique just to build the form, and the embroidery isn’t the main part. If the structure fails, everything else fails too, no matter how beautiful the embroidery looks.

As for the creative part, I apply the same principles I usually do, but there are things to consider, like parts that can break or areas in contact with skin that must be smooth. That limits the creative process.

Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of your practice, both for yourself and for embroidery more broadly? Are there directions such as exhibitions, research, or new formats you’re interested in exploring?

In an ideal future, I would love to open a school or embroidery centre where people can learn and share their experiences.

For now, one main area I want to work on is silk, learning how to handle it and use it to create compositions. I feel this will improve my work in the long term, and I plan to dedicate more time to it.

Another area is traditional Romanian costumes. There are very few people here who still do this work, and the art of working with gold bullion (tir-tir or French wire) in this region has largely been lost in the context of traditional pieces. I would like to help revive it so it’s not forgotten, and maybe inspire more people to start practising it again.