my working practice

for the past 12 years I have painted with ground earth pigments blended in the homemade soya milk binder I developed specifically for use on nature fibres such as vintage hemp and linen so that they remain tactile and colourfast leaving crusty patches of earth on surface reconnecting my work to the landscape

hand stitch is integral to my work

I can loose myself in the quiet slowness of hand stitching  the mediative repetition as the needle goes up and down through the cloth. I follow marks, contours and other geological references that form undulations and texture like you find on the earths surface.  Stitching adds colour, shading, movement, by using cotton thread in a range thicknesses and my selection of more esoteric threads such a silk covered stainless steel or horsehair I can vary the weight of the stitch mark

field trips - connecting to the land

solitary walking is fundamental to my creativity. Not only does it provide a tangible link to the landscape – a recurring theme in my work but it stills my mind, quietness and seclusion are core to my textile practice, by walking before starting work I take that focus into the studio.

“If you stop to draw or paint, you become immersed in your surroundings”. 

I record things like colours, textures and lines that might translate into fabric and stitch, these observational sketches taken whilst being there, are an invaluable studio resource.    As I reflect on my compiled resources,  ideas evolve and the essence of what a place means becomes apparent.

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processing pigments & making soya milk

the starting point for my work is the preparation of the binder - a grounding mindful process

field trips