Light, colour and energy are the key factors in my work which draws its inspiration from landscape, gardens, plant life and European folk art.
Since 1998 I have been making frequent journeys between the U.K, Poland and Germany. This has helped me to gain insights and connections between different landscapes and cultures, enlarging my perspective of Britain’s place in Europe. To help me with my observations, I am continually exploring ideas through my sketchbooks, photographs and journals. This creates the alchemy which generates the work.
My colour palette is derived from my watercolour studies and painting or dyeing different types of silk which I use as applique or torn strips for stitching onto a ground fabric. This approach is often combined with embroidery threads, yarns, plain & printed papers, dye, acrylic paint, glue and stitch. Hand and machine embroidery feature frequently in my work but recently I have been returning to collage and print as a more immediate medium through which I can express my ideas.
After training as a Primary school teacher with art as my main subject, I studied City & Guilds embroidery to advanced level, followed later by the Goldsmiths’ Diploma in Art & Design. Since then I have been working as a freelance artist exhibiting nationally & internationally and tutoring in adult education, schools, art galleries ,the National Trust and the Embroiderers’ Guild. Until 2013 I served as chair for the NEG.