stitchindividual series of textiles
The Abstracted Landscape
This series of Abstracted Landscapes aims to capture the essence of ‘place’ through the interplay of colour, composition and stitch. The works focus on the shape and interactivity of forms in the ‘flat’ landscapes surrounding Southport (Meadows) and the grandeur of the Pennine hillside (Distance) to the North East of Lancashire. Sketches and photographs of the landscapes were used as a basis for compositional alternatives via paint, print and collage in sketchbooks. Further exploration of shape and tonal values were then translated into the final expressive textural compositions. Multi-layered sari silks are the medium and have been over dyed and felted into coloured tonal cloth with expressive gestural stitch lines emulating brush and pencil marks.
Bouquet Series
The Bouquet Series follows the story of the unexpected gift of flowers that brightens even the greyest of days. Hand appliquéd flower stems gathered into floral bouquets are arranged in recycled patterned sari silk vases. Each flower head is made from petals cut from a variety of acid dyed shades of silk satins the colour echoing the colour of the individual petals. The appliqué is further enhanced with hand stitching in rayon threads, defining further the individual characteristics of petals and leaves. The bouquets are arranged in vases that are created using patterned recycled sari silk on a background of over dyed sari silk ribbon that has been needle felted using a needle felt embellisher.
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Meadow 2
This new Meadow Series takes you on a second journey through the British countryside where the traditional garden flower has escaped to form unexpected carpets of colour and perfume. The landscapes of each portrayal hint at new pastures for further exploration that are peppered with stately Cyprus as backdrops for the intensity of the flower forms. Sari Silk ribbons have been overlayed and fused to form the myriad of tones that the Countryside hides. Each hand cut flower portrays the individual blooms which are further enhanced with hand stitching in rayon threads.
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Glade Series
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The Glade Series explores the unexpected floral havens found in British woodlands. The unexpected radiance of floral eruptions seeking the sunlight through often dense green canopies conveys the optimism of the day light.
Sari Silk ribbons have been overlayed and fused to form the myriad of tones that occur when the tree bark is lit by the dapple day light. Hand cut flowers portray individual blooms which are further enhanced with hand stitching in rayon threads.
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colourscape series
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The textile ‘colourscape’ pieces transport the Sefton coastline into a magical, decorative direction, through a kaleidoscope of colours of hand dyed translucent sari silk fibres and sumptuous, luminous dupion silks. Marshland, dunes and sandy pathways are “painted” via an embellisher, felting and fusing brightly coloured iridescent silks to achieving a richness of colour tones. Rhythmic machine stitching in rayon anchors the silk, adding tracery of tangled lines to echo the movement of the dune grasses. Finally, random ornate edges of the original patterns of sari silks are decoratively machine stitched, creating representative interpretations of man-made boundaries within each composition.
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Meadow Series
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The Meadow Series takes you on a journey of through the British countryside where the traditional garden flower has escaped to form unexpected carpets of colour. The landscapes for each portrayal form colourful backdrops for the intensity of the flower forms which Sari Silk ribbons have been overlayed and embellished to form the intense hues of the Countryside. The hand cut flower heads portray the individual blooms and are further enhanced with hand stitching in rayon threads.
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click to see full Meadow Series
Woodland Series
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The Woodland Series of embroideries explores the glorious colour of the spring/summer woods and parks using embellished hand dyed fabrics, appliqué and hand stitch. These treescape's are formed using a mixture of hand painted and over-dyed sari silk and ribbons. These are then needle felted in multiple layers to form the colour contrasting horizons. The mixed floral hedgerows are the last addition with each flower petal individually cut and hand stitched in place, to add their glorious colour to the final landscape interpretation.
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Posy Series
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The work shown is part of the Posy Series representing the joy that a vase of cut flowers can bring to the home is captured through the medium of expressive stitch. Layers of hand-dyed silk capture the bloom moments of the flowers in a variety of vases that are inspired from the everyday ceramics around most homes. Flowers and vases are hand stitched through informal appliqué then decorated with further decorative stitches to capture individual qualities of petal, leaf and ceramic. Painterly backdrops for these displays are created through the overlaying of tonal fragile silks with hints of vintage Liberty lawns adding visual anchors with these expressive embroidered interpretations.
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Garden Series
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The Garden series of embroideries capture the riotous colour of the garden in bloom. These fabric paintings have been created using hand dyed fabrics with machine and hand stitch, to represent the glorious colour of each flower using fuse appliqué and traditional hand-stitch techniques. The multi - colour tones of the backgrounds are evolved through loosely woven backgrounds of reclaimed Liberty Prints and hand-dyed fabrics. Scatterings of contrasting coloured organza and chiffons that have then been machine stitched in place with meandering lines of rayon threads.
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