ABOUT MARIPOSA LONDON
CRUELTY-FREE 3D TEXTILE ART FOR NATURE ENTHUSIASTS
I’m Lou, the self-taught 3D embroidery artist behind Mariposa London, where I create exquisitely detailed, 3D textile art for nature enthusiasts. Mariposa London grew out of a deep-seated fascination with the natural world. I initially explored butterfly taxidermy, however I found it incredibly difficult to source naturally deceased specimens so I sought a more compassionate way to admire these creatures. This development led to the art of faux taxidermy through hand embroidery.
I use freehand thread painting techniques to meticulously capture the intricate details of each species with accuracy. My work is a true labour of love and each piece takes many hours to make. My signature pieces often incorporate stumpwork, the ancient 3D embroidery technique used to create textile sculptures and raised embroidery. This gives the finished piece a realistic quality. While I’m predominantly known for my butterfly and moth embroidery, my repertoire also includes other insects, plants, flowers and fungi. The art I create is a passionate celebration of biodiversity. Visit my instagram profile here to see them.
Each piece I create is truly unique and serves as a window into nature, allowing you to take home and admire the wonder of these species. Furthermore, I take commissions, so if you have a particular species in mind or even want to make one up, please get in touch here! For those interested in learning this craft, which is incredibly therapeutic and rewarding, I am currently working on developing DIY embroidery kits which will be available soon. You can explore my latest creations and discover your next piece of nature-inspired art at my Etsy shop here.
Scroll down to find out more about the process…
• THE PROCESS • THE PROCESS
THE WINGS
I start by sculpting a fine wire frame for each individual butterfly wing (or flower petal/leaf), which I then embroider with a single strand of cotton thread. Working from several photographs as reference, I use a freehand embroidery thread painting technique, layering multiple colours to capture the stunning detail of the species. The wings are then carefully cut out, ready for the next step.
THE BODY
Butterflies have 3 main body parts; head, thorax (chest or mid section) and abdomen (tail end). I sculpt these parts using felt for padding, traditional couching methods and pom pom stitch for added ‘fluff’, again observing photographs to get the detail as close to the real thing as possible.
FINAL PIECE
It all starts to come together when the individual butterfly wing ‘slips’ are secured around the body. I carefully tweak the position of the wings until I am happy with the final composition. The butterfly is then secured onto a foam board backing using traditional upholstery techniques. The final step is to frame and mount the butterfly in a deep box frame ready for its new home!
