Featuring: Mary Roy

“West Virginia based embroidery artist, Mary Roy, pays homage to her Appalachian roots and love for connecting places and people despite distance in her work. She focuses on embroidering landscapes to capture the natural beauty, so those special places can be kept close. As the daughter of a seamstress, she was naturally drawn to fiber art and quickly fell in love with it. Being a self-taught artist, she is dedicated to learning and honing in on her craft.”

Beginning a new series called “Featuring,” which will grant a spotlight on a specific artist and tell a bit of their story, I introduce the one-of-a-kind hug personified in a person, Mary Roy. She is the owner and founder of Appalachian Moon (@appalachian_moon on Instagram), a small business that boasts her talent as a self-taught embroiderer.

I knew Mary through mutual friends and was absolutely stoked when she slid up on my offer of a free business portrait session. She invited me to her cozy home studio for our shoot and we got to laugh, share interests, and bond over our favorite West Virginia sites. Mary’s recent works that feature National Parks are a wonder to behold. Hours and hours of tedious work pay off in such a small embroidery hoop. I was particularly fascinated with her hoop holder that sits comfortably under her leg that allows her for easy access to work. Her space was littered with works from other small businesses, creating a comfortable, inspiring environment to get those creative juices flowing.

Mary was selected as a Tamarack Foundation for the Arts Emerging Artist Fellow this year and it is more than deserved! I could look at her pieces for hours, dissecting each knot and stitch that comes together to create scenery to behold. I think my personal favorite would have to be her Arches National Park hoop.

Make sure to check out her work and give her a follow on social media! You won’t regret it. Enjoy these shots that give you a little glimpse into the world of the master, Mary Roy.