Herrera told Bored Panda that her background as an industrial designer, photographer, and videographer has profoundly influenced her approach to hand-embroidery and mixed media art.
"When the pandemic began, I started experimenting with intervening in photographs to infuse them with life and joy. By incorporating threads, I aimed to make images 'pop' and add an extra dimension to already beautiful pictures. Photographs capture moments, evoke memories, and sometimes even trigger sensory experiences like smell. Combining photography with embroidery felt like a natural extension, enhancing some emotion in each piece."
We asked the artist what inspired her to start incorporating embroidery into her work. She replied that the inspiration emerged from an idea to blend traditional art forms with modern media. "I tried to create visually happy pieces by merging detailed embroidery with the visual storytelling of photography. Having no prior experience with embroidery, I began by adapting traditional fabric stitches to paper, developing a unique technique that allowed me to explore new creative possibilities."
Herrera has strong Mexican roots, so we asked her how her cultural heritage influences her work. She told us, "My Mexican roots and cultural heritage significantly influence my art, particularly through my use of vibrant colors, rich textures, and diverse textiles. Mexican culture is renowned for its vivid colors, flavors, and traditions, which I incorporate into my work to celebrate and honor my México."
The artist explained her creative process, saying that when she starts a new piece, it begins with analyzing the photograph. "Given my experience with commissions and as a former wedding photographer, I understand the importance of certain elements to the subjects. I love highlighting these elements to make them stand out. For memorial pieces, I reach out to clients to learn about specific aspects of their loved ones' personalities, which I then represent through embroidery. Deciding what to embroider, where to place it, and its symbolic meaning is the most challenging part, but it is crucial for making each piece meaningful."
When asked what she hopes viewers take away from her embroidered paper artworks, Herrera responded that she hopes they remember special moments and feel a sense of happiness. "I aim to revive those images that might have been tucked away in a box and bring them back to life. Photographs have the power to transport us back in time beautifully, preserving memories for a long time. By adding embroidery, I enhance these memories, making them even more vivid and emotionally resonant."
