Nancy Billings American Textile Art "Democracy II- Hanging on by a Thread" 2022

Nancy Billings American Textile Art "Democracy II- Hanging on by a Thread" 2022

Offered for sale is an original textile art wall tapestry by Nancy Billings created with an American Democracy flag theme. These original works are painstakingly and lovingly created by the artist They are presented on custom Lucite brackets designed to allow the flags to float away from the wall and create depth and shadows. The hanger includes all materials required to install.


"My Democracy" series expresses my fear and disbelief at the political upheaval that has occurred in our country over the last 8 years. The fabric layers parallel the complexity of our emotions during this disquieting time; the threads mirror the tenuous, but twisted rantings of some of our political leaders. People often comment that these flags look very delicate - similar to the way our democracy appears right now. However, my threads are stitched together, which actually makes them quite strong - even if someone were to try to pull them apart. I hope our democracy can withstand the many tugs and pulls from both sides of our political spectrum, too. This work hangs away from the wall to allow the shadows to become visible, echoing the ominous feelings about our democracy that we may not express aloud.

I work intuitively so that my art reflects my many life experiences. I encourage viewers to see my art from a distance, but I hope they will also explore the textures and nuances of the details.

Raised in New York City, Billings graduated with a BFA from Pratt Institute. After teaching for years she moved to Florida which enabled her to pursue a dual love of textiles and art. Billings has been published in many magazines and books. She has exhibited her work both in the U.S. and abroad.

"I begin each project with layers and layers of a variety of fabrics including my hand-dyed cotton, velvets, brocades, silks, and many more. This allows the final product when viewed up close to have texture and complexity. The fabrics are first stitched together on the individual squares or shapes and then each small piece is carefully stitched to the others, which is how the piece becomes so strong yet keeps the delicate image. The entire piece is then painted sometimes using faux gold leaf or acrylic paint. The final construct is either buttons or beads for the stars."

Also shown is a photo of a previous flag mounted on a wall in a room as an example of scale.