I am a textile artist working primarily in the ancient art of wet felting. My practice involves creating textural wall art using mixed breeds of wool and other natural fibres, plus seamless, tactile works of art that are not only beautiful to look at, but are functional too (bags, bowls etc).
The changing light and colours of the seasons are a constant source of inspiration for me as are the texture and detail in natural elements such as wood and stone. I find colour to be incredibly uplifting and mood enhancing and texture creates not only depth and interest but encourages one to look further and even touch. Some of my works are left unglazed to enable the viewer to get closer to the detail and as wool is naturally water, dust and dirt resistant, there is no fear of damage.
I incorporate a range of natural fibres and textiles into my work including silk fibres and fabrics, plant fibres, woollen locks and yarns. I aim to use British wool and British suppliers as much as possible.
The wool trade used to be a thriving industry in the UK but has declined rapidly since the 1950s and many sheep farmers are now forced to discard their fleeces because they cannot sell them. Like many felt makers, I started out using merino wool, but since learning about the plight of UK sheep farmers, I have made the decision to start using British wool as much as possible. British wool is often quite coarse because of the climate and when felted it becomes extremely strong, so is ideal for structural forms. Wool is also naturally water resistant, stain resistant and hardwearing.
A selection of my work is available to buy from my website and I also run wet felting workshops from my studio in Leicestershire and at other venues around the county.
I am a member of the International Feltmakers Association.
