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Vima’s Italia Mia

Vima’s Italia Mia

Vima

Vima deMarchi Micheli has been recognized as an innovator in the field of needlework. Born in New York, she began doing needlework in early childhood and pursued this interest throughout her education at some of the finest art institutions. She has travelled extensively, collecting information on both traditional and contemporary techniques, and drawing inspirations for her own designs.

Vima has taught all over the United States (including Hawaii) as well as in Canada, Mexico City and Italy. She was on the faculty of the Elsa Williams School of Needle Arts near Boston. Over the years, Vima has judged many of the major needlework exhibitions in the United States and regularly teaches at regional and national seminars of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America, the American Needlepoint Guild, and other independent fiber organizations. She has been on the faculty at both California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. In addition to teaching and designing, Vima has published over twenty-five instructional books. She continues to write numerous articles for national needlework magazines and trade journals. Examples of her original designs appear in many of the top-selling needlework books and magazines.

Vima has been a frequent guest on local radio and television talk shows. She also appeared on the PBS program “ARTS ALIVE” to demonstrate and discuss the clothing embellishment techniques she has developed. In May 1991, Vima was featured as a leading style maker in the Sunday Arts Section of THE NEW YORK TIMES. One of her Florentine embroidery designs was featured in the April 1991 issue of the international magazine, EUROPEAN TRAVEL AND LIFE. In October 1993, Vima was honored by the city fathers of Sansepolcro, Italy, the famous lacemaking center. She was unanimously elected to the International Lace Committee as a lifetime member and she received a silver medal from the mayor and president of the group to mark the occasion.

After twelve years in the retail business, Vima sold her business to devote more time to designing, writing and fulfilling the many requests for teaching and lecturing. Vima now has available a tw0-hour video on needlelace. In 1993, Vima organized the first six-week teaching and lecturing tour of an Italian lacemaker from Venice in the United States.

Vima was a guest curator for the international exhibition, PANI & FILI, BREADS & THREADS OF ITALY which has traveled the United States, Canada and Italy. She wrote the accompanying catalog which has been published in English and Italian. For the last five years, Vima has been lecturing and teaching in Italy as well as the United States.

In 1996 Vima was appointed by Governor Wilson to serve a three-year term on the first Italian-American Task Force in the nation.

Vima takes small groups of travelers to Italy every year to visit needlework artists, leading collectors, museums, boutiques and trattorias for fine food and wine!