artist bio portrait

Monica Sword

Monica Sword is a multi-media artist, writer, bookmaker, and traveler. Her artistic exploration began with The Art Institutes' Interior Design program while balancing an information technology career in educational administration. Later, through Dunedin Fine Art Center classes, she learned how to create a visual language with shapes, symbols, and textures influenced by her poetry, travels, and daily life.

Monica lives in the Tampa Bay region and is originally from the Fox Valley communities of east-central Wisconsin. She is a former board member of Studio 1212 Art Gallery, the Professional Association of Visual Artists and the Creative Artists Guild. Bookmaking is her current creative passion.

Selected Artworks & Handmade Books

Art Gallery
Fairly Casual
Fairly Casual

Acrylic on 24 x 18 gallery wrapped canvas. NOT FOR SALE

Civil Discourse
Civil Discourse

Mixed media of paper and acrylic on 12 x 16 canvas board, in black frame, NOT FOR SALE.

Texas Cotton
Texas Cotton

Acrylic on 10 x 20 gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD.

Sacrosanct Study II
Sacrosanct Study II

Acrylic on 7 x 5 watercolor paper, framed, second in series, SOLD.

Sacrosanct Study III
Sacrosanct Study III

Acrylic on 7 x 5 watercolor, framed, third in series, SOLD.

In the Hammock 1
In the Hammock 1

Acrylic on 24 x 30 gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD

Twelve Guitaleles
Twelve Guitaleles

Acrylic mixed media on 36 x 36 gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD

Floral Abstract
Floral Abstract

Acrylic on 12 x 12 canvas, SOLD.

Commotion
Commotion

Acrylic 24 x 36 abstract on gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD

Upbeat
Upbeat

Mixed media on 24 x 24 gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD

Visited
Visited

Acrylic on 24 x 30 gallery wrapped canvas, DONATED.

Solo
Solo

Acrylic 12 x 12 canvas board in a black frame, DONATED.

We Are The Ones We've Been Waiting For
We Are The Ones We've Been Waiting For

Acrylic on 11 x 14 canvas board, SOLD

Absolute Discontent
Absolute Discontent

Acrylic on 24 x 36 gallery wrapped canvas, SOLD

Celtic Floral 1
Celtic Floral 1

This handmade adhesive-free book uses Celtic weave and link stitches in orange and emerald waxed linen thread to hold ten mixed media paper signatures. Inspired by St. Patrick's Day.

Squared
Squared

This handmade book has a printed leather cover with 144 pages of white drawing paper sectioned into 4 signatures. It is sewn with yellow waxed linen thread in a packed long stitch pattern and is adhesive-free except for the magnet closure.

Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond

This hadcover book uses coordinated handmade book cloth, has three signatures and is sewn with a lattice stitch binding.