Born in Germany in. 19. , Herta Puls originally studied radiography and was a medical technician. She move to England in 1939 where she was introduced to embroidery by Constance Howard. She went on to study both embroidery and textile design as a part time student. She moved to London with her husband and was able to continue her study by passing the Advanced Certificate in embroidery with distinction from the City and Guilds through the London College of Fashion. She was a member of the world famous 62 Z Group. Herta has since passed.
Herta is best known for her research into the cutwork appliqué of the Kuna Indians, specifically molas.. She began this research in 1969 in the British Museum and the ethnographic museums of Gothenburg and Hamburg. She also made over eight trips to the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama to study this unique application of cutwork and embroidery.
When first examining a mola, the viewer is struck with the beautiful use of vibrant colors. After closer study the complexity of the layers of fabric used to create these pieces can be admired. Herta was not just interested in the techniques which was unique to this area but also in discovering the source of the imagery used. She researched the designs and documented the stages from religious symbols to environmental themes to story-telling.
This is from her book. It is one of her drawings and then her cutwork design inspired from the drawing.
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