Courtney Love x Parliament Tattoo Charity Auction

Meghan McAleavy was born and raised in New Jersey and is a freelance textile artist who predominantly uses free motion machine embroidery and appliqué techniques in her art. Her work is inspired by traditional Masonic, Esoteric, and Fraternal Lodge Banners. McAleavy has made hundreds of one of a kind Satin Banners for tattoo artists, jewellers, musicians, and restaurant's around the globe. Her attention to detail and craftsmanship have made her work highly sought after.

My work is produced using both free-motion machine embroidery and appliqué techniques. Appliqué is a needlework practice in which the fabric is cut out, layered, and the edges are machine-stitched. I use embroidery in conjunction with appliqué to create dimension and texture in my work. This piece is constructed using satin, thread, metallic trim, and tassels, edged with fringe. 

In 2005, McAleavy received a BFA in Textiles from Oregon College of Art & Craft. She has participated in several group shows on both the East and West coasts. McAleavy currently lives and works in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA. 

Inspiration for my piece is pulled mainly from the title track, “Pretty on the Inside.” The use of iconic religious imagery serves to convey messages of sorrow, pain, and suffering.  To me, the sacred heart is not limited to its singular meaning of origin, that of the seven sorrows piercing through Mother Mary's sinless heart. Rather, I represent the sacred heart as a juxtaposition of the figures of the sinner and saint.  In this piece in particular, the sacred heart is an incarnation of the pain of self-loathing. Our culture conditions us into socially constructed standards of what’s beautiful and what’s not, forcing women and girls into destructive, lifelong efforts to bend and break themselves into fantastical moulds of beauty.  This pain and self-loathing is the shared experience of women.