Strippy

More little stripy collages incorporating quilt bits and unpickings. All for Festival of Quilts at Birmingham NEC in August. I love working this way....

The Festival of Quilts

I have finished this collage today. I am planning to hang it unglazed next to the skirt below which is coming out of hibernation for The Festival of Quilts  where I have a gallery space this summer. I am resurrecting a few old things but nearly all of it will be new work . If you are near Birmingham NEC 8th - 11th August please come and see my exhibition there.

This piece was made in 2008 and kick started my whole interest in what I call my "Thread and Thrift" approach to textiles.

Landscape

This piece is in the show at Farfield Mill at Sedburgh until 11th August. It started as a reflection on the landscapes of winter. Seems along time ago now with everything so green and lush!

This patchwork is actually portrait format but is shown here horizontally on the floor.

London

I love going to London to recharge my creative batteries. I pack as much as I can in, taking notes and photographs which will stimulate me to further research long after the visit.

The highlight of this trip was a visit to Dennis Severs' house. The house is without any modern conveniences and lit entirely by candlelight. It is magical and atmospheric and difficult to describe but its like stepping back into time and enchanting. Beautifully curated so that you feel someone has just left the room. Gorgeous fabrics literally hanging about all over the place and reflecting the textile links of the area. Check out more at www.dennissevershouse.co.uk.

Also fitted in the Pompeii and Herculaneum show at The British Museum. I was much taken with the garden room frescoes.

On to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. A bit of a mixed bag but a stunning piece of patch worked recycling art on the exterior by El Anatsui.

Up the road at the National Gallery we were much amused by Michael Landy's "Saints Alive" sculptures.

Throw in a bit of vintage shopping in Camden Passage and Spitalfields Antiques Market, Anthropologie sale and a visit to The Cloth House, lots of coffees and cakes and what more could a girl want!

New Studio

Just back from doing the residency at Farfield Mill and immediately thrown into moving into my new studio. It is just one floor down but it is big enough for me to teach a small group in and has a south facing window and window seat. I haven't dressed the walls yet but I have created a little place to work in one corner and feel quite at home now I am surrounded by my bits and bobs. Hanging behind my work table is a beautiful log cabin quilt made from velvets, satins and silks that believe it or not I found in a charity shop in Norwich and got for £30. I have already cut a chunk of it off and have been appliquéing birds on to it. I have lots of new work on the go and hope to blog some images soon.

Residency at Farfield Mill

I will be artist in residence at Farfield Mill  http://www.farfieldmill.org in Cumbria next week. I will be working away every day between 10.30 and 4 in Bainside Studio on Sunday 16th June right through to the afternoon of Saturday 22nd June. You are very welcome to come and see me there and also take in the Textile Hub exhibition in the Howgill Gallery. I shall be demonstrating techniques and will have lots of new work on display for you to get a good look at.

Flour Sack Blue