Artist Trade Spotlight: Bridging Canvas

Jan 30

Get to know Meghan Gallagher, the architectural embroidery artist behind Bridging Canvas, Self-Made Artist Academy Student, and Lettering Works first official Artist Trade Program participant!

Tell me a little about yourself.

I'm Meghan, Bridging Canvas's founder and embroidery artist. I live to connect with people, travel, and ingest great food. My business is based in Wicker Park, Chicago.

What is your background (education, previous jobs and/or experiences that led you to embroidery)?

I originally studied Finance because I didn't think I had a creative bone in my body. Once I graduated, I knew that I had my whole life to work so I took a year off and traveled all around Europe and volunteered in Morocco. Travel always had a deeper meaning for me because I was a high-school exchange student in Italy. During this trip I was constantly in awe of the vibe, food, and architecture.

This was just the beginning for me. Once I had come back from my trip, I lead a career in Customer Support. Juggling between my job and UX design courses, I strived to find an unplugged activity: knitting. I really enjoyed knitting but I felt like it was too structured and the slightest mistake could mess things up. I've always had the thought to do embroidery but it wasn't until my dad passed away in January 2020 and the pandemic just a few months after that I really considered it.

My sister-in-law is an absolute legend when it comes to embroidery. When I told her I was considering it she sent me so many links on different artists. A couple that embroiders to capture their travels and architecture instantly caught my eye. Since my dad was an architect, I knew architectural embroidery would be a great chance to connect with him. I was really excited to give embroidery a try because it would also allow me to commemorate places that were special for me. My good friend was getting married that spring. I thought this would be a great opportunity to make a personalized wedding gift. Needless to say, I was hooked and ready to make another one.

What led you to start your business, Bridging Canvas?

When I started embroidery I would always post the final product on my personal instagram. There was always a friend reaching out to me asking for me to make them one too. At that time I was only giving them away or not charging enough since they were close friends. The positive reactions to my work made me think I could really turn this into a business. I'm a firm believer that your space reflects what is going on in your life. I noticed that my desk was covered in more and more embroidery-related supplies. It was almost like my subconscious was telling me to make more room for embroidery.

My ultimate career goal was always to be my own boss, but on my own timeline. I wanted to wait until I had a good portfolio and multiple products ready to sell before I launched, but then I got laid off. This major life event was the catalyst to my business launching. I knew that this was my chance to just launch my business and figure out the rest as I went. I got the business name, logo and three instagram posts ready, then it was launch time.

Why were you interested in trading with Lettering Works?

I’ve known Chelsie since last year and am always amazed at the amount of knowledge she has. I was at a place with my business where I really wasn't very confident in my pricing and my business strategy. As an emerging business, trading was a no brainer since I didn't have the means to pay in cash for consulting. Plus Chelsie wanted a piece from one of my favorite places: Granada, Spain.

What was the process of trading with Lettering Works like for you?

Overall the process was really easy and the application was straightforward. Chelsie makes it well known that she wants to ensure a fair trade in terms of value. We discussed some timelines and dates from both of our ends. The timing was almost too perfect because our last consulting session, I was able to deliver the embroidery piece. It was a great and easy process even though it was a brand new program.

Custom Albaicín embroidery by Bridging Canvas

Your part of the trade was a custom embroidery piece of the Albaicín in Granada, Spain. Can you share your process for creating this piece?

Chelsie had sent me a few ideas on what she would like the subject to be. Looking for reference photos on Pinterest and Google, I grabbed as many images as I could that had potential to embroider. I wanted to make sure the subject looked good in black and white without losing the essence of the place. I was drawn to the Generlife and Albaicín because of the tiling, whitespace and using plants as accents. After narrowing down my reference photos, I drew two rough sketches, first on paper then with Procreate on my iPad. The Procreate sketches were then uploaded to the proposal I sent along with some notes on what elements had specific stitches and the colors.

Once Chelsie approved one of the designs and trade value, I finalized the design and found the perfect colors which represented Granada. After printing the design, I used my Lightbox, Micron Pigma pen, and ruler to transfer the design directly onto the fabric. After all this setp, I was ready to embroider! Over the course of a week, I took my time to be intentional with each stitch. Each embroidery floss comes with 6-strands, I literally only use one to make the embroidery more delicate. This is why it's important to make sure you know where you are going to poke the hole because if not it will show. Each day I uploaded a progress picture to the Notion Client portal so Chelsie could see where I am with the piece.

After making the last stitch, there is a feeling of euphoria then it's bath time. Hand washing finished embroidery pieces is important to remove all of the oils from your hands and remove any ink or pencil markings. I proceed to align the piece in its hoop to make sure it's centered and not askew. I love a pretty hoop butt, so I glue down the excess fabric on the hoop then put card stock that I previously cut into the back of the hoop. Take some closeups for the socials and web then package it carefully with a thank you card, knowing this is the first thing someone sees.

Lettering Works’ part of the trade was consulting sessions on the topics of pricing and branding. What did you take away from these sessions? What did you enjoy most about working together?

I took away A LOT. Chelsie answered all my questions plus some. Prior to our sessions I provided some information about pricing and branding in the embroidery market. This way we could make the most of our time together. I learned that pricing takes time to feel confident in, each time I price something I also learn how to reflect after a piece is complete. The biggest takeaway for me was to feel good about a price and excited for the project!

For Branding, I felt like I was a bit lost in my strategy mainly because I was following what other people were telling me to do. In my heart I knew what I wanted to do but couldn't translate this into an action plan. Chelsie helped me validate my future plans but also I learned how to write good copy for my target audience.

What I enjoyed most about working together was the ability to bounce ideas off each-other. I loved that Chelsie was a sounding board but also had ideas that spoke to me specifically, even without any background in embroidery.

What value have you received this Artist Trade (the first official trade in our new Artist Trade Program)?

I cannot thank Lettering Works enough for the value they have given me. When I first started Self-Made Artist Academy, I didn't realize what great connections I would make along the way. Chelsie has always been a huge advocate for my work and her actions show that. After we wrapped up our last consulting session, I felt so excited to get started on making pricing packages and designing my website. I had the same level of excitement when I finished the custom Albaicín piece.

Prior to our consultations, I lacked confidence with a lot of things related to my business. Lettering Works showed me that I can do this has made me stronger as a small business owner.

Why do you think artists should consider applying for a trade with Lettering Works?

The trade opportunity is such a great way to connect with Lettering Works. I felt like I had grown a deeper bond with Lettering Works and Chelsie because it was more than a transaction. For someone that is just starting out and might not have the financial means to pay in cash, this is perfect for you!