Looking Back, Looking Forward 2019-2020

Another year has passed and as we enter the 'roaring twenties' I am thankful for the friendship and support over the last decade. The last ten years has had its ups and downs both personally and in the greater global picture.

It is ten years since the release of my first publication for Batsford, The Found Object in Textile Art. Given the current debate on re-use and sustainability the book remains equally today. I am grateful to Batsford for supporting my writing and developing my voice.

2019 opened with my exhibition Painting With Cloth at Rochester Art Gallery. This marked the publication of my fourth book Textile Landscape. In the week the show opened I received the news it was reprinted again alongside Stitch Stories. The exhibition toured to Queen Street Gallery in Wales and will continue into 2020.

I have been wandering, walking and working throughout the year visiting friends and colleagues, teaching and developing ideas for new work. It has been, as always, the small details of everyday life and the changes reflected in the landscape drawing my attention from the sun on the wildflowers by the side of the road in Spain and France to stone walls in Western Ireland and a magical tree house where I stayed in Colorado. I always carry those memories of people and place with me. Thank you for the friendship and treasured times.

As we move into the change to the New Year, the foundation for what is to come has been laid. Such is the nature of needing to plan ahead, I am sure, there will be many challenges to be faced and unexpected surprises to be discovered.

Packing is underway for my trip to Japan with Art Textiles Made in Britain for the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival this month. I am so looking forward to this short revisit after studying paper and textiles there early in my career.
Gypsy Maker 4 opens in February for its tour. As a person with Roma heritage I  am proud to be involved with this exhibition and it positive focus on the 'Traveller Communities'. It can sometimes be a hard 'walk through this world'.I reported on both these projects in my last blog. Travelling and working is not without its problems. As reported in my last blog, I lost work at the end of the year in a portfolio at Brussels station. This work, 'Tilburg to Mallety' (Unfolding Landscape) is another of the several pieces created as I travelled Europe in 2016-17 to be lost. 

Working with other remains a focus beginning with a course at West Dean. I am delighted to be teaching at Sweet Nothings in South West France and the Alpine Experience over the Summer before going to Australia with Fibre Arts Australia in September.  (I hope for all my friends and colleagues in Australia the devastating fires are under control soon.) As the weather warms I will also be running workshops in the UK including Hope and Elvis and Lund Studios. Most are full or only have a few spaces left.

For all workshops and exhibitions please follow the relevant headings on this blog

Delighted to be featured in SEW Region Magazine  (South East West Region of the Embroiderers Guild) in  December

I caught up with family in East Anglia over the holidays. Love the cold calm of the landscape.

 And found the Pedlars Cottage in Beccles

Here is hoping that the next decade is a fairer one and wishing you all a cleaner and more peaceful planet.