Thread painting
Thread painting of parrot
Memory bears
Workshop
Ceremony
Stuffed animal

Custom Made Art

Every piece begins as a conversation. You tell me what is in your heart—a beloved pet, a memory, a feeling you want to hold onto—and together we will find its form in thread, fabric, and colored pencil.

Thread Painting

Needle and thread become brush and paint. These works live somewhere between embroidery and illustration—textured portraits, landscapes stitched from memory, seasonal scenes given permanence through patient, repetitive work.

Memory Bears & Stuffed Animals

Soft companions made for keeping. Memory bears created from a loved one's clothing, custom stuffed animals for children, or comfort objects for those going through hard times—each one is sewn with that person in mind.

Paintings

Small, quiet pieces. Colored pencil, and sometimes acrylic. I paint what you want to remember: a place, a light, a face, a feeling.

Sewing & Textile Work

Small quilts made from a grandmother's dresses or a loved one's clothing. Banners for celebrations. Fabric turned into something that can be held, wrapped around shoulders, passed down through the family.

What People Say

Myla's threadpainting of my mother with her newborn granddaughter was crafted with incredible care and detail. It will be a family heirloom that will last generations.

Anneliese Toft

Custom Artwork Patron

Each piece is priced based on materials, time, and complexity—and we always talk about it together before anything begins.

Let's create something together

Workshops

Making things by hand changes how we feel. It slows the breath. It lets the mind wander usefully. These workshops aren't about becoming an artist—they're about spending a few hours doing something real with your hands.

Small Group Sessions

Four to eight people around a table, learning something new together. Embroidery basics, simple sewing, or seasonal projects. All materials provided. All skill levels welcome.

Private Workshops

One-on-one or small groups who want dedicated time to learn something specific. Maybe you want to finish a quilt your mother started. We build the session around what you need.

Community & Events

Workshops for libraries, schools, retreats, or birthday parties. I bring everything—materials, instruction, and an atmosphere of calm. Perfect for groups who want to do something meaningful together.

Thread Painting for Beginners Design & Sew Your Own Stuffed Creature Colored Pencil Basics Holiday Cards with Textile & Paper From the Heart Collage

What Participants Say

Myla and the event volunteers were very welcoming and helped me find a place to fit in. I was able to find community - I felt included and welcomed, and it was a warm and inviting event. I appreciate the space that was created and I look forward to attending future events led or hosted by Myla.

Carrie Thomas

Workshop Participant

Myla's collage workshop was outstanding! There was such great energy with my fellow collage-makers--we all bonded over our creations. There were lots of participants who shared the story behind their collages in front of the whole group--and that just made our bond even stronger. If you have a chance to attend one of Myla's workshops, do so!

Lori Feldman

Workshop Participant

No experience necessary. Really. The goal isn't perfection—it's presence.

Ask about upcoming workshops

Ceremonies

The moments that change our lives deserve to be marked with care. As an officiant, I help people create ceremonies that actually feel like them—not scripts recited, but words spoken with meaning.

Weddings Funerals & Memorials Vow Renewals Baby Welcomings Retirement Ceremonies

I start by listening. What matters to you? What do you want people to feel? From there, we build something together—something that might include readings, rituals, music, silence, or simply the right words at the right time.

I work with people of all backgrounds and beliefs. No assumptions. No pressure. Just careful attention to what this moment needs to be.

What People Say

Myla was the absolute best to work with! She was so kind and professional. We met a few months out and she discussed what the ceremony involved and then gave us tons of suggestions on how to make it personal! My husband and I didn't want to even do a public ceremony at first but we are so happy we did! She listened to my requests to make it very simple and it turned out beautiful. We are so happy we found Myla and she was able to give us the perfect ceremony that represented us as a couple.

Elise

Bride

She was awesome! Myla was fabulous and took the time to make our ceremony very personalized. Many of our guests commented on how wonderful she was as well. Would recommend to everyone!

Teresa

Bride

I had the pleasure of working with Myla Martin on a recent celebration of life event, where she served as the celebrant. As the event planner, I deeply appreciated Myla's warm, compassionate presence and her professionalism throughout the planning and the ceremony itself. Her ability to bring light and comfort to a time of mourning is truly a gift.

Lauren Ponder

Founder, Director & End-of-Life Planner

Ms. Martin consistently demonstrates compassion, understanding and thoughtfulness when serving our families. She is attentive to their needs, highly organized, and always communicates effectively.

Julie Valerius

Funeral Director

About

I've been making things for as long as I can remember. As a child in Clarksdale, Mississippi, I convinced my mother to let me take private art lessons since there wasn't a good program in the schools. I loved every minute—the classes and the homework.

College was art, of course, though life had other plans for a while. Marriage and relocation paused my formal education, but I never stopped creating. Quilts, dolls, drawings, paintings—making was simply part of who I was.

Myla Martin

When I finished my degree at Webster University, Cultural Anthropology became my major with a minor in Art. That combination still shapes how I see my work—understanding people, their stories, and how we mark what matters.

For years I worked at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis creating props, and with the Opera Theatre costume department. Theatre taught me that every detail tells a story, and that handmade things have a presence that manufactured ones don't.

Through raising two wonderful children, art remained as much a part of my life as ever—school projects, elaborate Halloween costumes, and always more classes. Now that my children are on their own, I indulge my creativity daily.

After almost forty years in St. Louis...

I've learned that the best work comes from patience and paying attention. Thread painting found me, and I've never stopped being amazed at what needle and thread can do when you give them enough time.

Get in Touch

If something here resonates—even just a little—I'd love to hear from you. No need to have it all figured out. We can start with a conversation and see where it leads.