artists register

Introduction

 Current work continues to explore issues related to life stories, fragility and moments of incident which I began to explore with an earlier collection of work, G'love Stories. Working with museums, I used gloves and glove patterns as a metaphor for ageing and narratives of life events. The glove became a second skin, protecting but also revealing traces of life stories.

Recent work has continued to use objects as inspiration, suggesting the possibility of an anthropomorphic interpretation. The safety pin, an everyday useful object, may have it's function subverted, the shards reformed into new temporary assembledges, paper scissors are made of paper and a  discarded shrub becomes a fetish object. The process of the state of making or unmaking is often incorporated into the idea of my work;  flux, a moment caught in time and held for inspection.

The written word has always been important, handwriting gives authenticity and identity, it is the mark of a real hand. Unreadable text ,linked to issues of personality surrounding dementia,  with it's ambiguity and strange mystery continue to be a part of my work.

Three dimensional work may be placed, form installations or be suitably wall mounted. Two dimensional drawings and artist prints are also available.

Innovative glass work, incorporating the impression of  textile structures, suitable for internal and external work is produced in collaboration with a skilled stained glass maker.

Please contact me for further information, images of other works, to discuss opportunities and for prices.

Statement

 My training in embroidery gave me making skills, a meticulous approach to working with materials as well as an eye for the experimental possibilities of a wide range of media and methods. Having worked for many years with a broad range of students across further and higher education, I prefer not to categorise what I do now. Stitch, print or installation - it’s just my work.

I use whatever method seems appropriate to what I am working on.

 Drawing is always important to my practice, allowing space for thought and investigation of my subject matter. Often using mono-print methods the exploratory drawn mark develops its own voice and may also incorporate text, both readable and unreadable. I enjoy the unexpected marks and textures which disrupt my print drawings and often find they prompt a new thought.  Prints may be layered with transparency or cut and pieced, inserted with silk making complex printed surfaces layered with marks of stitch, colour sometimes veiled by time or weather.

I am excited by the qualities of materials, including fabric but also ceramic, glass, wood, metal or feathers; materials strongly contrasting in weight and character and used for their expressive properties.

Previous work explored themes of glove making and working hands, in collaboration with several museums for G’love Stories, a solo touring exhibition.  Tracing older glove makers, I incorporated their stories as well as artefacts from the glove industry.

Following MA studies at Manchester School of Art, my work explored the accidental incidents that disrupt the smooth order and predictability of everyday life. Dementia and memory loss have been important themes, linked to the finding of pot shards from old hydropathic institutions. The shards and their emergence from the earth are important evidence of lives lived and points of change.

Responding to the unexpected and embracing risk has become important. My work for the DIS/rupt exhibition, Drowning by Numbers; 2 degrees and 4 degrees, develops the idea of risk and uncertainty in both its theme and working method. Allowing the work to absorb dye during the exhibition period was exciting and was a literal demonstration of drowning that I want to explore further.

 Working with tutor groups as a mentor and teaching occasional freelance workshops and summer schools stimulates my own ideas. Recent experience as an exhibition curator was fascinating and I find building creative partnerships particularly rewarding.  I enjoy working with architects and clients and have completed several large commissions for both private and church clients in both textiles and stained glass, including an innovative glass which retains the image of textile structures.

Biography