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Health & Fitness

Touching Textile Art

Beautiful commemorative art made by a local writer with a loving heart.

Amy Rovere is a multifaceted artist who combines textiles and other media to create memorable artwork designed to bring joy and ease the suffering of others.

I have the pleasure of talking with Amy today, to bring her story to Eve readers. If you have any questions for Amy, I invite you to leave them in the comments section at the bottom of this post or email Amy at amyrovere@hotmail.com.

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The original artwork pictured here is courtesy of Amy Rovere.

Amy Rovere is a writer, editor, and artist. Originally from Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Amy studied theatrical design in Baltimore, Maryland and worked in publishing and the arts until relocating to Decatur, Georgia.

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Since 2005, Amy has worked for a nonprofit publisher helping create books for patients and families who are coping with cancer. When she was just 9 years old, Amy lost her mother to cancer. The children’s picture book And Still They Bloom was inspired by this loss and her desire to help children who are going through a similar experience.

This book is published by the American Cancer Society and will be available in Spring of 2012. Amy is a member of the American Medical Writers Association, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Atlanta Collage Society. Amy lives in Decatur with her husband, Ricky, and daughter, Isabella.

CWF: Thank you for joining us, Amy. I appreciate your taking the time to tell our readers and me a little bit about your art.

AMY: Thank you. It’s a pleasure to talk with you about my work.

CWF: You create beautiful art as memorials for those who have lost a loved one. Would you tell us about your art?

AMY: I love to combine textiles, thread, beads, paint, paper, photographs, as well as other media, to create joyful work using vibrant and playful color. I strive to create art that radiates energy and light. Much of my work memorializes precious persons and life experiences. It’s an honor to create personal pieces of art that help people celebrate and remember their loved ones. Through my work, I hope to bring joy and ease the suffering of others and make the world a more beautiful place.

CWF: I was so taken with your work when I first saw one of your pieces for a number of reasons. It looked like a beautiful impressionist oil. You had to tell me what it is really made of. Would you share that with our readers?

AMY: Textiles are the foundation of my work. I use different fabrics, frequently from clothing, to start each piece. Then, I usually embellish with other materials like beads, thread, photographs, or other materials. I manipulate the materials in different ways and then use thread and/or glue to collage the materials together. Some of my pieces have a tapestry-like quality and others are mounted on canvas. I sometimes like to add detail using acrylic paint. Each piece is constructed differently depending on the nature of the project.

CWF: Apart from the surprising materials used in your work, its purpose moved me. How did you come up such a creative way to personalize your work?

AMY: I started out creating memorials for my family. After experiencing loss at a young age, I sought out different ways to celebrate and remember my loved ones. I am drawn to textiles, and working with clothing was a natural choice for me. I have always loved to sew, and I studied costume design in college. I would frequent vintage shops and thrift stores in search of costumes, and I discovered that these shops were a treasure-trove of diverse and unusual fabrics that could not be found in traditional fabric stores. Each piece of clothing has a history, and I think this history adds to the very personal nature of my work. Using a person’s own clothing can make a memorial piece so much more meaningful although it is not necessary.

CWF: You had a personal experience with loss. Would you share it with us?

AMY: My mother died of lung cancer when I was nine years old. While I have experienced the loss of other loved ones since then, the loss of my mother was, by far, the most significant and shaped the path my life has taken since.

CWF: How does making art help you cope with your own loss?

AMY: Channeling my emotions through my art allows me to explore and experience these feelings and make sense of them in surprising ways. I find vibrant colors and different textures calming when I am feeling particularly emotional. Working with my hands is very satisfying—to create something that didn’t exist before I started. I find the creative process very life affirming. Even in the darkest of times, I can create something new and full of life, and this process helps me cope with my own grief. I find that creating artwork that helps others in this way is also very therapeutic.

CWF: Can you share with me some things that inspire you?

AMY: The children’s picture book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney has been a great source of inspiration. My husband gave me the book as a gift early in our marriage. I was deeply moved by the simple message—each of us has the ability to make the world a more beautiful place. I am also inspired by my daughter. Life is precious; you never know how much time you will have with those you love. By making artwork I am leaving a kind of legacy behind for her—something that will hopefully last long after I am gone.

CWF: Your work is intended to celebrate life. What other events do you celebrate through it?

AMY: In addition to creating memorials to honor a loved one who has died, I love to honor joyous occasions, such as marriages; births; birthdays; anniversaries; mitzvahs; or other special occasions. I also like to create pieces that celebrate and capture the spirit of the natural world, such as landscapes and flowers.

CWF: You have a book coming out soon. Its story and artwork are beautiful. What can you tell us about it?

AMY: The book is called And Still They Bloom: A Family’s Journey Through Loss and Healing. I wrote the text and the illustrations were created by an amazingly talented artist named Joel Spector. The book is for children and families who have experienced a loss. My hope is it can provide support and comfort to grieving families.

CWF: Will your book be available to the general public?

AMY: Yes. The book will be published by the American Cancer Society and will be available in late Spring 2012 everywhere books are sold. Copies can also be purchased atwww.cancer.org/bookstore.

CWF: It’s important to mention that all proceeds of your book benefit the American Cancer Society. 

 Your book deserves its own post. Will you come back and talk with us about it in more detail when it nears publication?

AMY: I would love to come back and talk to you more about the book.

CWF: How can readers contact you to view or commission your work?

AMY:  Visit my website to view a sample of pictures from past projects, as well as information about my book and how to go about commissioning pieces of artwork.

CWF: Thank you for sharing your story and your art with us, Amy. We look forward to talking with you again soon!

AMY:  It was my pleasure. Thanks for having me.

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