Studio
Painting, embroidery, textile, sculpture and fine jewelry, in a single visual language.
About the Artist
Based in New York, Semra works across painting, embroidery, textile, sculpture and fine jewelry, drawing on more than two decades in jewelry design.
She studied for several years at the Art Students League of New York and has taken part in group exhibitions. Her relationship with handwork began much earlier, learning embroidery as a child beside her grandmother.
Her work explores femininity, identity, memory and adornment, combining raw canvas, fabric, hand embroidery and hand-built wooden frames, and in selected pieces, fine jewelry itself.
Featured Work
A wide-brimmed black hat conceals the figure's eyes against a vivid yellow background. The strong lines of her clothing contrast with the delicate details of her jewelry: earrings, a ring, a necklace and a bracelet in real 14K white gold with lab-grown diamonds, attached to the canvas. The jewelry is part of the portrait itself, bringing together Semra's two practices.
Many of these works began on canvas tote bags, everyday objects used as surfaces for original art. Selected pieces were later cut and framed, moving from something carried to something displayed while keeping the texture of the original canvas.
Semra makes the frames herself from pine stretcher bars, painted with acrylic and finished with varnish. In some pieces, details continue onto or over the frame, so the frame becomes part of the composition rather than its boundary.
Selected Works
A sneaker and a high heel meet beneath a black velvet skirt. Striped and fishnet details place contrasting styles side by side, while the skirt extends over the red frame, giving the composition a three-dimensional presence.
An upturned hand with butterflies along the wrist brings drawn shading together with embroidered line and color. Red fingernails and a blue frame give the work vivid accents, while details extending onto the frame carry the image beyond the canvas.
In the Studio
Sculpture, painting and embroidery from Semra's studio and exhibitions.
Process
Rather than separating fine art, craft and design, Semra lets them share a single visual language. The needle asks for the same precision and patience as a jeweler's tools, and in her work, inherited handwork, contemporary design and fine jewelry meet on the same surface.
For availability, pricing, dimensions or additional photographs of a particular work, please contact the studio.
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