54

Raymond Materson

(b. 1954)

Lords and Ladies, 1989

embroidered thread on fabric
inscribed verso: Lords + / Ladies / RAY MATERSON / © 1989

Raymond Materson is a self-taught artist known for miniature pictures that he sews from threads of unraveled socks. He came upon this approach to making art while serving a period of 7 years in prison. Faced with seemingly endless time, he remembered his childhood and how he watched his Grandmother sewing peacefully for hours. His initial sewing efforts required colored threads that he got from pulling apart his socks. He fashioned a round plastic stretcher by cutting off the top ring of a plastic jar with a toenail clipper and stretched cotton fabric from boxer shorts or handkerchiefs to sew on. He began by sewing sports patches for himself and other inmates.

As he developed his skills, he began to sew pictures drawn from his life experiences. Some were raw images of his days of reckless abandon, other pictures were inspired by his former involvement with theater, by his sports heroes, and some by his dreams, demons, and aspirations. All of this was done with the fine orlon or nylon spun from a bag of socks that he would turn into his palette wound around pens and pencils. The pictures remained small enough to hold in one hand and increasingly more intricate with up to 1200 stitches per square inch. The picture served as a healing mirror to Raymond's troubled life. His prison time saved his life from a destructive drug addiction and led to the discovery of his artistic abilities. He has continued creating art since his release from prison few years ago.
4 3/4 x 3 3/8 in. (12.07 x 8.57 cm.), Frame: 12 1/4 x 10 1/4 x 3/4 in. (31.12 x 26.04 x 1.91 cm.)

  • Provenance: The Barbara and Ed Okun Collection
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May 1, 2021 10:30 AM MDT
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