STUDIO EXPANSION

At the beginning of September, I made the decision to take on the recently available adjacent studio to mine, and by combining the two I've given myself a lovely, expansive and naturally sunny place in which to work. It's still a work in progress but arranging the space so there are zones for the different types of media I use has really helped to freshen up how I make my work.

Being a multi-media artist means that I use and store many kinds of equipment, tools and materials for the various types of work I make. The nature of being the kind of artist who gathers and collects things as part of her practice means that a sizable place is required to keep these unusual items too, for when their time to be used emerges through making!

Then there is the space to make the actual work. I now have space to have two extendable tables pushed together to create a generous work bench. I have loosely divided it into ‘wet’ [painting, printing, gluing, staining, dying] and ‘dry’ [pressing, designing, textiles, drawing, paper cutting, laying out, stitching, typing] areas.

A few years ago, I made myself a plan chest of sorts; constructing large shallow boxes to hold the vast quantities of paper-based artwork I generate, and then I built a framework to house them, stacked one on top of another. On top of this I have a huge cutting mat to trim and wrap prints for galleries. I try to keep this surface clear and ready to use at all times, but the temptation to pile stuff onto an empty surface when its not being used sometimes gets the better of me!

I have also created my favourite bit; a cosy nook with an armchair and blanket [and hot water bottle as it gets pretty darn cold in the studio during the winter] as the perfect spot for hand sewing or other ‘lap work’. Here I listen to stories as I sew and am surrounded by objects placed on shelves and images pinned on the walls to inspire me.

UNDER A COVER OF DARKNESS

Following on from Moonlit my solo exhibition at MAKE Southwest in 2021, I found myself compelled to give the paper moths that had been held in suspended cocoons as part of an installation piece, ‘Like A Moth To The Moon’, the chance to fly!

This wearable piece is about emerging out into the world after the pandemic, but also about inner growth and empowerment (quiet transformation and release from our sometimes self-imposed 'cocoons').
When the coat is worn, the moths in the lining are hidden from all but the wearer. They cause mild discomfort as their papery wings rustle with the movement of the body reminding the wearer of what lies beneath the surface.
Should the wearer desire, the coat can be reversed to expose the hidden moths to the outer world.

Most of the work in this coat is hidden in the lining, but I wanted an external clue as to the story the garment is telling. There are politely anarchic 'stencilled' words hand-stitched on the reserve which quietly shout it's message too. These words were inspired by Anais Nin’s quote:

‘And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom’.

This piece is currently on display at MAKE Southwest as part of their members summer show until October 8th 2022.