Textiles

I began working with Textiles in January 2011, and was soon hooked. I started on CityLit’s Textiles day course with Louise Baldwin, with additional ad hoc workshops at studios such as Art van Go in Knebworth. Although I draw, paint and print, I feel my main focus comes back to textural work – in fact all the disciplines feed into each other.

A lot of my work, in various media, is around Spurn. I have collected everything onto this page.

2020

My colleagues and I formed into an exhibition group at the end of our Advanced Textiles Course with CityLit, the last few months of which were very difficult … I was classified as clinically extremely vulnerable and had to shield for month, and just before we were permitted one walk daily I was admitted to St Mary’s for life-saving surgery (non-Covid related!) and spent just over six weeks there in three admissions. I did manage to join the @seamcollective September Challenge from my hospital bed with the help of my daughter and husband, who took photos for me from which I could make my selections.

Exhibition at Espacio Gallery with Textiles2020 in December 2020

I decided to make two major pieces for this exhibition.

I became fascinated by the dramatic effect of natural forces on the vulnerable Humberside coastline at Spurn Head. The power of the elements has overcome sea defences causing erosion, coastal movement, and displacing the once thriving community from this unstable, impermanent headland. This book is my response; it was shortlisted for the 252nd Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London (postponed from Summer to Autumn, hopefully).

The book didn’t make the final cut … but I had mixed emotions here: it meant it was available for our December exhibition and, given the difficulties I had experienced during the year, it was a relief. And I hadn’t actually had it long enough, so am happy to have it. And I was absolutely delighted to have the work shortlisted from such a strong field.

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Whilst researching this work I became deeply affected by the story of the loss of the Brig Emma just off Spurn in a gale in November 1893, and was able to access the research done by his great granddaughter, Meg Hartford. I made this small book to keep everything together.

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Update: Lara moved her piece to the back of the work, along with the names of all contributors, and put mine in its place (thank you, dear Lara). The work is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum and can be found here.

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