"Weaving" dreams with needle and thread.

In the midst of the rapidly developing digital age, the traditional craft of hand embroidery, which seemed to have been forgotten, has become a path to self-affirmation for Nguyen Nhat Khiem (born in 2000, residing in Ea Tam ward, Buon Ma Thuot city).

For Khiem, embroidery is not just an art form, but also a language to tell the story of perseverance, passion, and the courage to overcome personal limitations.

Before discovering the art of embroidery, Nguyen Nhat Khiem struggled to make a living. He worked as a delivery driver, tattoo artist, office worker… he tried his hand at many jobs, experiencing enough setbacks to understand the feeling of being lost and not finding himself in his work. Then, amidst this uncertainty, Khiem decided to stop, listen to himself, and turn towards art – a place where his soul could soar freely.

Nguyen Nhat Khiem has a passion for creating artistic hand-embroidered paintings.

He started learning crochet, painting… and then, by chance, became captivated by traditional hand embroidery. The more he learned and explored , the more Khiem loved this meticulous work. And so, his journey of "weaving dreams with needle and thread" began.

No one said embroidery was easy, especially for a young man. Those first stitches were the result of countless days of persistent practice with clumsy hands, swollen fingers, and bleeding needle pricks. Shoulders ached, eyes tired, and he endured ridicule: "What kind of boy does embroidery?", "Watch out, you'll turn into a wimp!"... But instead of giving up, Khiem silently persevered.

A portrait of President Ho Chi Minh by Nguyen Nhat Khiem.

"I often spend time each day watching videos online to learn the techniques of artisans, painstakingly experimenting with each embroidery stitch with all my patience and eagerness to learn," Khiem confided. It was his love of art and the support from his family that gave him the strength to remain steadfast in the face of prejudice.

Sometimes I choose to turn down even new commissions in order to dedicate my time to works with artistic depth.”  

Nguyen Nhat Khiem

In March 2022, Khiem began embroidering on felt fabric. This type of fabric is highly durable, has a dense surface, and is less prone to thread misalignment, allowing for better detail rendering. Not stopping there, he boldly experimented with embroidering on dried leaves and leaf skeletons. Leaves are easily torn and cannot be stretched on a frame; each stitch must be slow, meticulous, and precise. But it is on these seemingly discarded leaves that the artworks gradually come to life, as if by magic.

Not confining himself to one style, Khiem also experiments with many genres: portraits, landscapes, cartoon characters… Each painting is a world of its own, where light, color, and composition are all meticulously calculated. He uses 2 to 7 layers just to create depth and special visual effects – something few people can persistently achieve.

After more than 3 years in the profession, Nguyen Nhat Khiem has completed over 60 hand-embroidered works. Some paintings take more than 250 hours to complete. One of the works that Khiem is most proud of and which many people have commented is "as lifelike as a 3D painting" is the portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, completed on the occasion of the President's birthday in 2023. Or the painting of little Setsuko from the Japanese animated film "Grave of the Fireflies," which he depicted with emotionally rich needlework, perfectly conveying sadness, innocence, and heartwarming beauty. Particularly noteworthy is the lion embroidered on Bodhi leaf skeleton, completed in 10 days with over 100 hours of labor, which created a strong impact on social media thanks to its rare expressiveness and creative style…

Embroidery on leaves by Nguyen Nhat Khiem.

Besides his passion for embroidery, Khiem also knows how to utilize social media as an "online exhibition" to connect, share, and showcase his artwork. Thanks to his meticulousness and unique style, he attracts a large following and customers from both within and outside the country. Many are willing to pay high prices to own one-of-a-kind paintings bearing his distinctive personal touch.

"I want people to remember my products for their meticulousness, attention to detail, and dedication. Each piece tells a story, each stitch has its own soul, not just hastily made items. Therefore, sometimes I even turn down new orders to dedicate time to creating works with artistic depth," he shared.

Thanks to art, Nguyen Nhat Khiem has found a new rhythm of life, where every stitch and thread is a lesson in patience, concentration, and the courage to overcome personal limitations. For him, embroidery is not just a means of livelihood, providing him with a stable income, but also opens up new relationships and valuable experiences. He always hopes to spread the art of embroidery to more young people, creating a community for sharing and development.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202506/det-uoc-mo-bang-kim-chi-b6303d0/