Margaret Timbrell (b. 1979, São Paulo, Brazil) is a needlework artist whose work explores themes of technology, parenthood, perseverance, and fragility, using language and interaction as central tools. A National Merit Scholar, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Studio Art from New York University. Timbrell has exhibited in prominent venues, including the De Young Museum, Bolinas Museum, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, and Marin Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, The Washington Post, SF Examiner, LA Times, Bust Magazine, and Star Magazine.
Timbrell is widely known for her 15-foot latch-hook portrait of Minnie Pearl at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville, featured in Handcrafted Hotels: Nashville (Discovery+). She recently completed a residency with Sweet Dreams Society at the Graduate Hotel Berkeley. Her awards include an SF Arts Commission Artist Grant, a Center for Cultural Innovation Quick Grant, a Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Artist Stipend, and a full scholarship to the European Cultural Academy program in Venice, Italy. She lives and works in San Francisco.
Artist Statement
I am passionate about contemporary culture, the quirks of language, and the craft of needlework. After graduating from NYU, I began my career in photography-based art, but a life-altering accident and subsequent recovery period led me to needlework, a practice that suited my temporary physical limitations and offered a meditative new direction. Since then, my art has evolved to blend needlework’s technical skill with the dynamic elements of contemporary culture.
My pieces resemble traditional needlework with a modern twist. Each work begins with researching needlework’s diverse techniques and historical contexts, which I then adapt to reflect ideas and observations from my online and offline interactions. By combining technique with concept, I create art that engages both sophisticated stitchers and fine art viewers, blending craft and commentary in each piece.
INFO
Artist Info
Margaret Timbrell
www.margarettimbrell.com
instagram.com/MargaretDTH
Artist Bio
Margaret Timbrell (b. 1979, São Paulo, Brazil) is a needlework artist whose work explores themes of technology, parenthood, perseverance, and fragility, using language and interaction as central tools. A National Merit Scholar, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Studio Art from New York University. Timbrell has exhibited in prominent venues, including the De Young Museum, Bolinas Museum, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, and Marin Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, The Washington Post, SF Examiner, LA Times, Bust Magazine, and Star Magazine.
Timbrell is widely known for her 15-foot latch-hook portrait of Minnie Pearl at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville, featured in Handcrafted Hotels: Nashville (Discovery+). She recently completed a residency with Sweet Dreams Society at the Graduate Hotel Berkeley. Her awards include an SF Arts Commission Artist Grant, a Center for Cultural Innovation Quick Grant, a Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Artist Stipend, and a full scholarship to the European Cultural Academy program in Venice, Italy. She lives and works in San Francisco.
Artist Statement
I am passionate about contemporary culture, the quirks of language, and the craft of needlework. After graduating from NYU, I began my career in photography-based art, but a life-altering accident and subsequent recovery period led me to needlework, a practice that suited my temporary physical limitations and offered a meditative new direction. Since then, my art has evolved to blend needlework’s technical skill with the dynamic elements of contemporary culture.
My pieces resemble traditional needlework with a modern twist. Each work begins with researching needlework’s diverse techniques and historical contexts, which I then adapt to reflect ideas and observations from my online and offline interactions. By combining technique with concept, I create art that engages both sophisticated stitchers and fine art viewers, blending craft and commentary in each piece.