Marilyn Hirsch Expresses Herself One Stitch at a Time
For Marilyn Hirsch, a resident at Golda Meir House, one of the best parts of living at 2Life Communities is the opportunity to pursue her creative passions and share them with others. “I just love it here. There are many people at 2Life who are very talented,” she says.
As it happens, Hirsch is one of those talents. Her artistic pursuits have ranged from sculpture and pottery to jewelry making. After high school, she made wigs for mannequins in Manhattan department store windows. But Hirsch’s current passion is creating highly detailed cross-stitch pieces. With up to 18 stitches per inch created on blank cloth, her needlework is a true work of art.
“I just love seeing the picture come to life,” Hirsch says, noting that she especially enjoys doing faces. “When I’m doing my cross-stitch, I’m in another world.”
Hirsch’s interest in fiber arts started early. “When I was 9 years old, I saw someone knitting and I was fascinated,” she recalls. “I went to the library and took out a book and taught myself to knit.” Ultimately, her fascination with knitting led to ownership of a yarn shop in New Jersey.
While the creative process is personal, it’s even better when shared with a group. Hirsch is an active participant in a knitting club with other 2Life residents, and there’s a purpose behind their pastime: Club members donate their knitted creations to a variety of local charities — most recently Horizons for Homeless Children. “I love helping with that,” she says.
Whether it’s needle and thread or yarn, Marilyn Hirsch’s hands are always busy as she finds joy in creating. “It’s how I express myself.”
