Fabric of Life
Solo Exhibition, Kingston Arts Centre, 2012
In these textile works I explore the female form to depict life as I experience it. I have used thread and fabrics to portray emotion, character, atmosphere and a sense of a woman’s inner landscape and her connection to her environment.
Each piece is developed from studies drawn from life and aims to express the spirit of the moment, the beauty of the figurative line and a joy of texture, colour and pattern. I strive to express atmosphere and emotion whilst also achieving an overall decorative effect. In many pieces I hope to convey an aspect of the human condition from a female perspective. Working in this way allows me to combine my love of drawing the human form with using inspiring materials that allow me to express what I feel and how I experience the world.
My influences are wide ranging and include: a love of Asian art particularly Japanese woodblock prints; life drawings by artists from Renaissance times to present day; traditional crafts and the invaluable inspiration of a gathering of wonderful women with whom I meet regularly to work together on creative projects.
I hope that, through this collection of my recent works, I am able to share with you my love of the human form especially as expressed through figure drawing and my expression of authentic human experience through the texture, colours and beauty of textiles.