My love of textiles stems from a desire to captivate the tactile and mesmerising qualities contained within nature and organic form. I believe that the ebb and flow of natural structures whether found in the landscape or human form open up endless possibilities in the field of textiles.
Landscapes have long been a source of inspiration for many artists but it is within the realm of textiles that I truly believe it comes alive. The use of stitch, handmade papers, print and mixed media techniques opens up a range of possibilities for interpreting texture, light, colour and form. My primary inspiration derives from the untamed and unregulated wildness that can be found in the Atlantic coastline. For me the seas, skies and rock formations are inexhaustible material. Family holidays evoke powerful memories and if you look closely at my more recent work you may see four figures in the landscape. My heart belongs to Sennen Cove, Lands End and Priests Cove in Cornwall and more recently North Devon.
I find embroidery (both hand and machine) liberating. Stitch is immediate and intuitive. It allows me to mix colour by over painting. Within my landscapes, my materials are everything and anything. I love contrasting sumptuous velvets and matt wools with shimmering organza. I love contrasting sumptuous velvets with shimmering organza. I take immense pleasure in collecting and hoarding tiny fragments of fabrics and papers that may one day represent a minute section of a large landscape. The surface of the fabric that I stitch onto becomes manipulated by the techniques that I employ, and the surface of the landscape provides me with visual stimuli that I seek not to emulate, but to investigate.
During Lockdown I began lino printing. Lino is a very ordinary material and is the complete opposite to mixed media textiles, but still it is capable of being used to create exciting landscapes. A linocut requires considered rigid planning and mark marking which contrasts with the more organic nature of my embroidery.
In my studio I love to surround myself with baskets full of fabrics, scraps, odd and ends and an array or coloured threads. Everything I need is close at hand….most importantly of all my trusty Bernina which is still going strong after 30 years.
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