I

,`•

is the F-word that captured Orna Willis's
imagination the first time she walked
into a Petoskey needlepoint shop.
Fibers. Willis finds them fascinating and
absolutely un-forgettable.
Her immediate connection with the color
and texture of fibers changed the direction of
Willis's artistic expression. "Art has been my
life," she says. "I have studied painting, as
well as ceramics, interior design and photogra-
phy."
But four years ago, Willis became a serious
needlepoint artist, revitalizing an art form long
neglected by the fine art community. Born in
Israel, Willis saw an opportunity to express her
own ethnicity and the influences of other cul-
tures, using unusual fibers to create intricate
designs. "I began designing needlepoint
pieces that give the observer a taste of the col-
ors, textures and shapes that fibers can pro-
duce," she says. "The combinations are end-
less. Each produces a differ-
ent 'feel, at times
ancient, at times for-
eign and at times
warm and familiar."
The Commerce-
based artist
named her ven-
ture Ornaments,
and the business
is twofold. She
designs and crafts
wearable art and
home accessories,
and she also pro-
duces needlepoint
instruction booklets and
needlepoint design kits. She
works from a vibrant home studio that over-
looks a serene landscape. Her spectacular wall
hangings, pillows and mobiles complement
contemporary Swedish glass, pottery and mod-
ern art collections. Sprinkled throughout are
photos of her daughter, 20-year-old Shiri, and
her husband, Reid, a scientist who is studying
to be a patent attorney.
"Handwork is like breathing," Willis
explains. "I am fortunate to be able to do it all
the time and to be rewarded for it. My daugh-
ter has learned that it's never too late to start a
new career. Opportunities always abound."
The word on Willis's talent and expertise is
spreading quickly. Her work is displayed in
galleries and retail shops; Neiman Marcus
recently placed an order; she appears regularly
on Home and Garden Television (HGTV); she
hosts workshops and seminars around the
country. Her award-winning Web site,
www.ornadesign.com , has garnered much
response.
"My work is meant to bring pleasure,"
Willis reflects. "First to the senses, then to the
mind."

--Linda Bachrack