I was born and raised in Harlem, NY. One of my earliest memories as a little girl of five or six years old was standing by the sewing machine, watching in awe, as my grandmother created a gold satin cotillion ball gown... Thus began my passion for fabric and color.
Unable to major in dressmaking in high school, (my mom insisted I major in typing and stenography, which I hated with a passion) it was twenty years before I was able to attend adult courses at the H.S. of Fashion Industries, Fashion Institute of Technology and subsequently earned a degree in Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design..
For a short time, I handcrafted and sold my own line of sterling silver jewelry in Greenwich Village, New York under the tutorage of the renowned artist Ademola Olugebefola...but fabric continued to call my name and I returned to the world of fashion by freelancing as a dressmaking tutor to young adults.
For over forty years, my love of fabric, color and ethnic art has manifested itself in my creating and painting wearable art, pillows, totebags and wallhangings and so the name of my business "PAINTED THREADS" was born.
In 1998, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, unable to sew, but realizing that working with color and fabrics would be a integral part of my recovery
I began to cut and design small pieces of fabric that did not require sewing and my Painted Threads fabric art card collection was created. I am blessed to still be in remission and have retired to work full time creating this art form that I enjoy so much.
I am currently a member of the Fulton Art Consortium , Pratt Area Community Council, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Harlem Arts Alliance. I was honored to present a one-woman art exhibit of my Painted Threads Fabric Art at the Langston Hughes Cultural Library, serve as a jury panelist for the New York Foundation for the Arts and was nominated by fellow craft-artists to offer my artwork at the American Museum of Natural History's Kwanzaa celebration.
In the summer of 2003, I was blessed to be interviewed on BCAT-Cable
TV in addition to having Painted Threads featured in The Amsterdam News, Caribbean Life, Harlem News, Our Time Press and New York Trend newspapers. Also honored by Upscale Magazine (January/February 2004 & June/July 2004) to be included in their 'notebook section' of new products to check out and 'best buy' respectively.
In 2004, Our Time Press, the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill Courier, the Brooklyn Heights Courier, NRG Magazine and ezine: Mommytoo.com printed articles on Painted Threads in their publications.
One of my goals is to have Oprah use my fabric art cards as her special cards when she wants to speak from her heart. Anyone know Oprah?
Thank you for your interest in Painted Threads...
Fabric art that speaks to your heart
Oprah waited too long to discover me....
I was diagnosed with CRVO, in January 05. I am currently unable to create new artwork. Doctors feel the prognosis is poor but GOD knows best (the doctors don't) and I continue to pray for restored health.
I will offer my Painted Threads artcards created before "CRVO" until all inventory is sold.
I want to thank all my valued customers for their wonderful support and kind words over the past years.
Love.... tonya
My vision is still extremely distorted, I am unable to distinguish similiar colors. i carry a blind cane to cross streets, use the subway and avoid falling at the curb. I am thankful to God that I am alive and able to see with the other eye.
I am a member of the Empire Quilt Guild, Manhattan Doll Club and the 3D Doll Club in New York City. I have discovered a talent for creating cloth art dolls and have started a Brooklyn Doll Club, we meet the last saturday of each month, 1pm to 4pm at the YWCA, 30 Third Ave, off Atlantic Ave in downtown Brooklyn. All levels are welcome. I share what i know with others that want to learn how to create cloth dolls.. if you would like more info please call me at 718 852 3695 or just come the last saturday of any month!
Please visit my dolls by clicking on the doll link and let me know what you think..
Wishing you all the best in 2009! and continuing to pray that God will keep brother OBAMA SAFE FROM HARM
its now 2011 and ive decided to try my hand at machine needle felting and air dry clay (using premade molds) both artforms do not require the level of detail vision that my artcards and dolls require... please wish me luck!
