·E124

Robert John Hodge - Renaissance 2.0 [NX124]

January 19

38 mins

Episode Description

In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Robert John Hodge.

Robert John Hodge makes cross-stitch work based on Renaissance sculptures, using a CMYK / screenprint-style layering approach and recurring Wingdings symbols.

We talk about being a finalist in the Hand & Lock Embroidery Prize, how the work is technically constructed, and the bigger ideas underneath it: art vs craft, nostalgia, digital “glitch” language, and how slow, tactile making can transform images that started life as fast and disposable.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:10 – Hand & Lock finalist story + mentor + family cheer squad

00:03:56 – Renaissance sculpture → CMYK layers → Wingdings glitch

00:06:30 – Time-saving stitching: let the fabric do some work

00:09:27 – Hobby → medium (London limits shaping the practice)

00:11:58 – Art vs craft: embroidery as the point, not the punchline

00:14:36 – 90s Windows nostalgia: Wingdings, WordArt energy

00:17:19 – Making patterns: first self-draft + tools/workflow

00:20:01 – Scale, time, and the realities of big stitch work

00:26:30 – Inputs and influences feeding the work

00:30:28 – Process evolution: designing for a “digital” feel