Chris Roberts-Antieau is best known for what she calls “fabric paintings” — cheeky, intricate, appliquéd stories and scenes that she’s been stitching together since the 1980s. The New Orleans based-artist has some high-profile fans—Bill Clinton is the proud owner of a piece called “Cat Hugger”—but there’s a universal appeal in her depictions of homey themes: the hilarity of social life, the enviable simplicity of animals, the comfort of starscapes.
In her latest collection, 62-year-old Roberts-Antieau explores a darker side — working in new media like “tragic snow globes” — that retains elements of her ironic, earthy sensibilities. TIME talked to the artist about her whimsical style and what’s new.