Archie Hayes 
Ulla-Stina Wikander‘s cross-stitch is an overlooked craft, but she brings it to life in her work. The Swedish artist has been using cross-stitch as her main medium since 2006 when she started working on new interpretations of domestic life that would be more relatable to modern audiences. Ulla takes household items like rotary phones or kitchen appliances and covers them with color and texture by sewing them into a piece of fabric that she then stitches into a unique product. Ulla uses the object as a starting point for her pieces, while still preserving their shape. Ulla makes many different types of art from cross-stitch, including landscapes with sheep under tree canopies or images of children at home doing their chores.
Wikander lives in Sweden and is based in Kullavik, where she works with sports equipment and more sophisticated tools. You can see her work on Instagram. Philadelphia’s Paradigm Gallery has her available pieces on display and at M Contemporary Gallery in Sydney. Ulla’s pieces are available for purchase through her website and the galleries mentioned above.
