art.i.ficial.heart

Artificial Heart began in 2014 as an art practice that turned good pieces of used clothing into works of art: hand-embroidered wearables worthy of passing down to grandkids. They were stitched with homages to the mechanical, to the machines that deliver us our necessities and comforts - exquisite enough in form to weave into what is worn every day, painstakingly by hand.

In 2015 I put it away to travel the Americas by motorcycle. Prompted by the need for attractive Covid-protective face coverings, I revived the Artificial Heart concept: to create wearable, sustainably produced and accessible artworks that look and feel as great as they are thought-provoking, as modes of moving communication.

What’s emerged is an ever-changing variety of wearable items embodying ideas and impressions explored in my non-functional artwork – stitched and hand-crafted using, whenever possible, secondhand materials destined for landfills.

Each piece is lovingly flawed, bearing the mark of its previous user, who perhaps wore and outgrew it or donated it as surplus; the occasional paint smatter, smudge, misplaced bump or crease is evidence of a material’s former life. As of now, all are reconfigured and stitched by yours truly, one at a time in a Houston, Texas studio, at the bottom of the United States.

So take a look. Browse the collections, and if you like what you find, share and revisit this space often. New pieces are designed and added regularly. For questions, visit the Customer Service Page or contact us any time.

Follow A.H. on Instagram @art.i.ficial.heart, and on Facebook @ArtificialHeartDesigns.