Influences
I find being by the sea, especially in the west of Cornwall, particularly inspiring (what am I doing living in landlocked Shropshire!). Other influences are my time spent travelling, particularly in India, walking the South West Coast Path alone, architecture, birds, fish, and the colour blue.
Career path
After doing art foundation I turned down a place on a degree course in Brighton in favour of cycling round Europe. I then spent several years travelling funded by a variety of jobs and renovating houses. Although I had always played around with textiles it wasn't until 1995 that I began seriously making textile clocks and larger textile pieces. I sell my work through galleries and exhibitions and run textile workshops.
Qualifications
- 2009-10 MA Textiles, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester
- 1987-94 BA Social Sciences, Open University
- 1974-5 Foundation, Bolton College of Art and Design
Selected Solo exhibitions
- 2018 Searching For The Invisible Woman, Nuneaton Art Gallery
- 2017 PDP London Architects, Foyer Exhibition
- 2016 Searching For The Invisible Woman, Stockport Art Gallery
- 2015 Searching For The Invisible Woman, Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham
- 2005 Fabricated Stories, Gateway Galleries, Shrewsbury
- 2004 Textiles, Tan-y-Llyn, Meifod
- 1999 Time and Place, Tan-y-Llyn, Meifod
- 1998 Clocks, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
- 1997 The Time has Come, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme
- 1997 Foyer Exhibition, West Midlands Arts, Birmingham
Selected Group exhibitions
- 2016 "Threads" Salisbury Arts Centre
- 2015 The Liberated Quilt, Bilston
- 2014 Construct - Eight Textile Artists Explore Identity, Ruthin Craft Centre
- 2013 Fine Art Masters, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham
- 2012- 2014 European Art Quilts VII - Birmingham, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium
- 2012 "Celebrating Spring" Cincinnati, Chicago and Long Beach, USA
- 2011 Dream Rocket Project, New York, Atlanta, Georgia and touring USA
- 2010 International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas USA
- 2008 World Reclamation Project, Abandoned Petrol Station, Syracuse, New York
- 2007 Women's Work: Identity, West End Centre, Aldershot, Hampshire
- 2006 Virtual, City Inn, Birmingham
- 2004 Telling Tales, Bilston Craft Gallery, Bilston
- 2003 Making Wem, Town Hall, Wem
- 2002 Distant Images, The Gallery Spout Farm House, Telford
- 2002 Cabinet, Heritage Centre, Oswestry
- 2002 Craftworks, Assembly Rooms, Ludlow
- 2001 Box of Delights, Keele University, Keele
- 2000 Time after Time, Gateway, Shrewsbury
- 1997 Celebration of Clocks, Town Hall, Chester
Projects and Commissions
- 2012 York 800 - Quilters Guild/ACE
- 2010 "Five From 500", Wem Town Hall, Wem, North Shropshire2012 York 800
- 2009 Wem Better Welcome Project - flags and banners
- 2008 Superlambanana Project, Liverpool City of Culture
- 2003 Making Wem Project
- 2002 Shropshire County Council - textile clock and panels Wem Library
Residencies
- 2018 Trelex, Switzerland
- 2018 Cill Rialaig, Ireland
- 2017 Helfa Celf Featured Artist Residency, Stiwdio Maelor, Corris
- 2016 Residency, Stiwdio Maelor, Corris
- 2011 Self-Directed Residency, Brison's Veor, Cornwall
- 2009 Self-directed residency, Brison's Veor, Cornwall
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2012 York 800 Commission
- 2011 Prizewinner - Art Quilts, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham
- 2009 Textile Society Student Bursary, Textile Society, UK
- 2006 Arts Council Research and Development Grant
- 2005 Quilters Guild Founder Member Bursary
- 1995 Business Start-Up Award, Business Link, Shropshire
Publications
- 2015 "Searching For The Invisible Woman" exhibition catalogue
- 2014 "Construct - Eight Textile Artists Explore Identity" exhibition catalogue
- 2013 "The Quilter" Winter Issue
- 2011 Northern Ireland Patchwork Association Magazine
- 2011 "Text" magazine of the Textile Society
- 2010 "500 Art Quilts", Lark Books
- 2008/9 "Visual" A&B
- 2008 Shropshire Review - featured artist
- 2005 "Embroidery" Magazine
- 2003 Second Steps Portfolio
- 2001 "Shropshire" Magazine - featured artist
