Neon Stitch Club
by Tarley Jordan
Where the ancient art of embroidery and the energy of neon collide.
Meet Tarley
Portrait by Olivia El Sadr Davis.
Animation by Clare Gemima
Tarley went to one embroidery class in March 2020, before the world went into various stages of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What began as a curiosity has now become a hive for creativity and the #NeonStitchClub.
Latest Work
The (Queens) Chariot
Created for Enchanted Queensdom.
An armored 7 train dashes through Long Island City, pulled valiantly by two pigeons. She wears a crown of gilded stars illustrating a connection to the divine, and gives a knowing wink as she glides by. The black and white pigeons replace the traditional Sphinxes and symbolize the union of opposing forces. Grounded on her technicolor tracks, the Chariot remains determined and balanced: wheels on the rails, heading towards her destination. Silvercup Studios and the Manhattan skyline emerge in the distance, setting the stage for progress under a dramatic starry sky.
Patterns reflect the diversity of Queens, while frayed edges remind us of our impermanence and potential unraveling. The fabrics used are “remnants”. As we hurtle towards our future like The Chariot, the things we cherish from our past are worn away, becoming remnants. What remains is a thread that connects the past to the present, to who we were, and who we can be.
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“The (Queens) Chariot”
Fabric collage with hand embroidery and appliqué
8” x 10”
$300
Underwear/Why
Created for Underwoven Stories: The Final Chapter group exhibit, this piece explores the relationship women have with their inner selves through the lingerie they do, and do not put on their body. In this work there are themes of body image, self-confidence, desire and feminism, through this lens of lingerie.
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Not for sale. This work is in the permanent collection of the Arts Council of Princeton.
Flowers & Books
A blooming experiment with new materials and stitching techniques.
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“In Bloom”
Fabric collage with hand embroidery
10” x 12”
$350
Miami Art Deco Streetscape
Pastel colors and hand embroidery bring to life Miami’s art deco-style architecture.
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Not for sale
Exhibitions
GROUP
The World’s Borough Exhibit, presented by Flushing Town Hall and curated by Stephanie Lee
Nov 7-24, 2024
Enchanted Queensdom, sponsored by Long Island City Artists, part of LIC Arts Open, curated by Raluca Anchidin
May 15-19, 2024
Interwoven Stories: The Final Chapter, The Arts Council of Princeton
June 4-July 11, 2022
I have been invited to be panelist on the following grants. Panelists or jurors, are an integral part of the grant process and are comprised of artists, cultural workers, educators, curators and community leaders who are invested in this community.
2024 GO Queens Grant
Funded by the Howard Gilman Foundation and awarded by Flushing Town Hall, this program funded 25 Queens-based arts and culture nonprofit organizations with annual operating budgets under $250,000. Each organization received a $10,000 grant for their general operating budgets to help sustain and promote further growth as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
2023 Arts Grants for Queens - Artists
Funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and awarded by Flushing Town Hall, this program funded 15 individual artists that live in Queens to produce arts and culture projects to be presented in the borough to enrich and enliven the community. Each artist received a $2,500 grant to produce a project with a community engagement component. This grant highlights the role of artists as important members of the community with the ability to enhance the cultural climate where they live and work.
2023 Queens Arts Fund - New Work Grant
Funded by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Greater New York Arts Development Fund, and the City Council and was awarded by New York Foundation for the Arts. Successful individual artists and artist collectives received $3,000 to aid in the creation of new work. “New Work” is defined as work that has not been produced or presented to an audience before, of a variety of disciplines.
Grant Juries
Press
Where to Find Australian Gifts in the USA
The team at America Josh included the Neon Stitch Club in a guide on where to find the best Australian-themed gifts made by Aussies in the USA. We are in some seriously elite company. Read more here
My Pandemic Side Hustle Panel
with Australian Women in New York
Amongst the highs and lows of 2020, I started this embroidery art business @neonstitchclub! I was invited by Australian Women in New York to share my story. Watch the discussion between these five Aussie women who are full of grit, determination and tenacity. A huge shout out to my fellow panelists: Shweta from @gertrude_nyc, @ameliachappelow from Tough Love Podcast, Jennifer from @scentandsprout and @meggiepalmer from @peptalkher. If you have burning questions about taking a hobby and making it a cash-generating hustle or bonafide business, tune in!
Community
Join the Neon Stitch Club by using the hashtag #neonstitchclub for your brightly colored fiber art on social media.
Take a peek at current stitches in our Instagram feed, below:
