Embroidery artist Paulina Bartnik admits she feels lucky that her hobby morphed into her current job. Based in Poland, Bartnik graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, having studied painting. “I finished art school but I learned a lot of things by myself,” she shared in an interview with the Paperfolk blog. These things included embroidery – an early passion of hers.
Now with over 50k followers on Instagram, Bartnik has come to be recognized for her bird embroideries – what she calls “embirdiries.” Her work is mostly based on images of birds and includes no prior sketching. “Firstly, I make a shape from a piece of wool with a technique called dry felting,” she explains the creative process. “Dry felting is completed by using a special felting needle to prod wool until it becomes the thickness/texture needed. I then paint with a needle on the felt, apply colors and in the end embroider finer details.”
With some of her biggest passions including nature, traveling, and art, inspiration comes easy. “Nature itself is my greatest inspiration,” says Bartnik. “It contains all sorts of colors, shapes, and textures.” You can purchase her work online or simply follow her Instagram page.
