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Inspiration

Journeys & Sketchbooks

The journeys to new and distant places are a great source of inspiration.  Creating sketchbooks, diary writings and photographs wherever I am continues to be an exciting way of recording and capturing what I see.  My own experience from the world of art has greatly influenced the surface I make – acrylic paint and mark making stitch mixed with photo imagery.

	The 5 days in May	Near North - sketchbook inspiration

  Sketchbooks play an important role in all creative journeys.  They are a private place for consolidating ideas, from simple drawn sketches, a record of thoughts and observations, to collage compositions in painted papers that could eventually inspire a new piece or series of work.  See a chapter dedicated to sketchbooks in my new book  
Creative Quilts…. Inspiration, Texture and Stitch   available in August 2006.

Photography

Today with the ease of digital photography and the creativity with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, there are no limits to interesting possibilities. Transferring images onto cloth has always been an important tool for textile artists and a great way to harness the textures and detail in nature and in the world around us.

	Acid Rain -birch bark images and the London city skyline with Photoshop effects.

  Mixed Media Collage with Painted and Dyed Surfaces

I often begin with a collage of textured painted papers, colour photocopies, and writings in small compositions using a very graphic design approach.  These materials mimic fabric on so many levels and can be further hand or machine stitched becoming a working sample for a future piece. Exploring the use of resists - wax or discharge paste, disperse transfer dyes on cloth or screen printed surfaces can make creative experiments a great starting point for ideas.