All Creatures Great & Small – with Christina Fairley Erickson

Course Completion
Christina Fairley Erickson completed the Level 4 Diploma in Experimental Stitch and Multi-Media at the Gail Harker Center for Creative Arts.

Interview Overview
Gail Harker interviews Christina Fairley Erickson about All Creatures Great and Small in Stitch. Christina presents artwork, stitch samples, finished pieces, and techniques from her courses. She also explains how her animal research and media studies developed into a connected body of art and stitch work

Early Observations
Christina’s childhood love of animals and birds became a lifelong appreciation. Visits to zoos and safari parks worldwide let her observe creatures closely and inspire her creative work.

Art, Stitch, and the Animal World
Christina and her husband have supported conservation work involving animals that inspire her. Drawn to their color, shape, texture, and splendor, she portrays them through goldwork, blackwork, appliqué, machine embroidery, hand stitch, antique hand stitch, and printing.

Planning a Horse Head Sculpture
Christina combined Turkish flowers and her love of horses in a three-dimensional machine-embroidered horse head. She explains the planning, construction, and problem-solving behind the ambitious sculpture.