I have stitched and made things all my life. My starting point was clothes for my dolls and making soft toys. I took needlework as a GCE subject (Dress) in the days when the Needlework Development Scheme was still an influence in schools, and then spent my teens and early twenties making clothes for myself.
I started making patchwork quilts in my early twenties, and completed a few cross-stitch kits whilst my daughter was tiny. Between 1990 and 1996, I was a member of Spectrum Quilters, and during this time contributed to a number of group exhibitions. I took up embroidery in 1993, having become bored with patchwork and quilting, and seeing this as a way to broaden my horizons, and expand my stitching repertoire. I joined my local Embroiderers' Guild the following year, and have been a member ever since.
I passed the City and Guild's Creative Embroidery Course Parts 1 in 1999 and Part 2 in 2002. Although these courses developed and extended the range of stitch and design techniques I used, I still found that design and drawing in particular were a major challenge. Since 2002 I have attended a master class style advanced embroidery course led by Hilary Bower. Hilary has pushed and cajoled me to extend my design work as far as I can before I attempt to work a finished piece. In October 2005 I contributed to an exhibition with two other textile artists.
Since September 2004 I have increasingly become interested in Altered Art. Influenced by an American magazine "Quilting Arts" I enrolled on a course taught by Susie Jefferson. From then until January 2006 I tried out ideas on my own, since January 2006 I've been an active member of a number of Yahoo groups. I enjoy the challenges these groups set and the opportunity to see and handle other artist's work.
My latest venture is book-making, covering both formal bound books and decorative book structures.
Exhibitions:
1990- 1996 Exhibited with Spectrum Quilters, Marlow, Bucks, UK.
1994- 2006 Exhibited with Windsor and Maidenhead Embroiderers' Guild
July 2002 City and Guilds Exhibition, Missenden Abbey, Bucks, UK
December 2002 Henley Management College, Staff Exhibition
July- August 2004 Moving- on, Missenden Abbey, Bucks, UK
October 2005 Anything Goes, Henley Exhibition Centre, Henley-on-Thames
Beachcombing at Par Sands July 2005
