New Beginnings.

I am now a volunteer Artist in Residence at Lancashire Archives in Preston. My work is multidisciplinary. It moves between drawing, hand stitch, machine stitch, felt making and 3D construction, often combining some of these techniques.Which techniques I employ can depend on the concept and the context in which I am working.

I like to re-use, re-purpose and re-cycle, particularly items which other people have considered worthless. I am interested in items on which time has left a trace. Natural processes related to the passage of time have often inspired my work. I have a collection of items inherited from family members, items which hold memories, and often these are given a new life in my work.

I believe that our museums and archives hold a wealth of items which can inspire artists and designers. Perhaps the collections are underused by artists because they don't know what is in store and what to access for private study.It is only by seeing items that ideas start to form. Physically handling an item is completely different from seeing it online.

An old pattern book in Lancashire Archives.

This old pattern book, dating from the start of the 20th century is showing the effects of the passage of time.

Two examples of computer directed stitch inspired by the book.

A couple of works on paper inspired by the old pattern book.