About the artist
A little about me
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When I was asked as a child ‘what do you want to do when you grow up?’ my response was always ‘I am going to be an artist’ which was usually shrugged off as childish fantasy.
My Father was a professional artist and illustrator so I was very fortunate to see what this meant as a way of life and had few illusions. The elderly lady who lived next door taught me to sew from a very early age and I grew up drawing, painting and sewing every minute I could, doing each with equal importance and obsession.
After school and as many art and textile related exams the curriculum would allow I went on to complete a Bachelor of Humanities in Art and Dance at Goldsmith College, University of London. During this study I continued to stitch as relaxation but also sneaking stitch into my fine art course work as often as I could.
While my sons were young I studied City and Guilds Embroidery, achieving distinction and highly commended in the medal of excellence scheme.
I have worked as an interior designer and mentor for a textiles Masterclass in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and Gallery Manager for Bury St Edmunds Art gallery, now renamed Smiths Row.
My sons are now grown men and I am freelance, working from my studio at home. I work for exhibitions, commissions and tutor textile and design workshops by invitation.
A little about what I do
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I am an artist working with textiles; the driving forces in my work are form, colour and excellence of design.
My preoccupation is to use simple hand stitches, nothing too complicated as I want the work and what I want it to say, not the technique to be predominant.
Following initial ideas and research I work with materials that I have woven, melted, shaped, dyed, printed or painted. I am led visually as I allow the work to grow and in doing so I gain the right visual vocabulary for the work.
The ideas and inspirations that inform my work are very varied. I may work from detailed drawings and research or use a piece of particular fabric or thread as an initial starting point. I can work with an idea for a long time and am very concerned to make work in series.
I make pieces to be wall hung and am beginning to make sculptural work using stitches in combination with a hard metal or wooden form for support.
