Moving to the country has been a total life change and a big personal journey. Firstly, I sense it will be a place of healing for my decrepit old body, which needs peace and calm in huge quantities whilst it heals and rebuilds.

This winter (our first here) saw me walking around in the fog, letting it engulf me. Slowly breathing in the cold, fresh air, in an ethereal, white landscape, was a very mindful process. 

I couldn't walk far, so I chose short strolls but every day in lonely spots for solitude so I could stay still when I needed. My body hurt and I allowed the pain to simply do what it wanted, run riot, go buck wild, as I mentally stepped away from the aching body and focussed on the incredible and as yet unfamiliar landscape, focusing away from the pain and into the sublime.

At once it was huge and empty, stretching lazily and emptily for miles, into a great gaping.. what? 

abyss..? a big white emptiness..?

Is that what's so appealing about the spectacle of fog - a state of 'nothingness...'? Is it the nearest thing we have to walking through clouds?! 

Close up was full of detail and enchanting minutiae which pulled me in and fascinated. Teasels covered in a thousand tiny shards of frost, strung with crystalline threads of cobwebs now like silently glittering chandeliers.. the views in front of me like wet, rushed paintings, out of focus, whilst in contrast my breath was sharp and real. Not being able to see far makes everything an adventure and heightens the senses.


I trod on grasses that snapped and crunched underfoot and wandered slowly, somewhere between that meditative state and total clarity. I could hear birds rustling and faraway church bells ringing.. I was in awe of the sun rising and watched the fog begin to rise a little and roll in drifts. I knew this orange, mauve, pink haze would soon enough burn off the fog and the pageant would be over.


I briefly wondered how many people 100, 200, 300 years etc before me had marvelled at the same spectacle. I half expected to see Thomas Hardy's Reddleman, Venn, come walking towards me.

It was a quick daily exercise in meditation where for a very short period of time, the external was as vague and ambiguous as the internal. It hurt, physically, but that's ok - it was so good in every other way and took me far out of myself.

So now, this single track lane to our village means home. Along it we watch the sun rising, the sun setting, the mist rolling in, the rain pouring down. We wait as cattle pass, we watch new calves, lambs and chicks being raised.

All of that is now home.

"The quieter you become...

... the more you hear"

Ram Dass


On a less Zen note - I'm so bored with the formatting going nuts on here, so think it's time to change blog supplier!! I'll put a link on here when I change. Seems appropriate at this time to ring in the changes and start everything afresh. 

well, well...

So I discovered I can still log on here - at some point I'll decide whether or not to continue with this blog.. I'll just see whichever way the wind blows me - I'm feeling rather floaty at the moment. Perhaps it's all the recent fog that's made me feel drifty and ethereal. Although it could be the brain fog. My life, work, future.. everything has changed, due to a health condition which slowly but surely crept up on me. I won't be able to work on my usual large textile projects any more and am thinking quietly about what my next move might be. First of all will be a nice rest.

A very positive change - last year I took up pottery with the aim of deriving some relaxation. It wasn't entirely what I expected. For a start - I discovered I'm really bad at it! It's just so haaard! It will take forever to actually get anywhere near the quality I'd like to achieve. I learnt that there's a lot of science to grasp, that it's very, very different to textiles - the way you use your body, your movements, your instincts.. that it can all be destroyed at any given moment and that it takes a long time to get a finished product - which may or may not turn out to be what you're expecting.

I like these lessons. Being rubbish is humbling, learning puts us in the moment.. it's all good.

Albeit not as often as I'd like, it's been great to be a beginner at something. That feeling of being rubbish.. full of questions, full of enthusiasm.. a sort of blank canvas. And that's where my life is at just now. A blank canvas, I suppose.

Who knows what the next chapter will bring, but it's coming for me and I choose to embrace it positively and bravely. Life is messy - but still deliciously exciting.. 

testing, testing...

just wondering if I still know how to do this blogging malarkey after an apparent 3 year absence...

I no longer have any idea how to update my website. Grrr..

I started doing some pottery as a break from my day job and as a bit of gentle therapy when I get ill

It's another thing I won't find time for, like this blog - or working out how to update my website, which is looking as dusty and old as I am..

work in progress..

gosh! video.

ha!

my work - exterior view

This is an exterior shot of a house I worked on and haven't had a chance to show yet. 

The pieces are subtly colourful on the inside, littered with crystals, sequins and so on.

From the outside, during the daytime they are barely noticeable and opaque.

At night, when lit, they have a more graphic effect from outside.

The 9 windows portray the trees from the street, sprawling across the house.

I will upload some more detailed images soon.

 in the meantime, more are on my website
photos courtesy of the rather fabulous gary wallis
my stitching assistant was mirek lucan

oh mister finch!

 

Ah.. I think we all know Mr Finch by now. So I'm not going to show you anything new here today, but I just fancied putting a few of his pics here in one place so I can look at them whenever I fancy.

Several years ago I got in touch with him about doing a lengthy interview. Then life took over and I didn't get around to it. Serves me right.

Since then.. well he's turned into the craft world's very own Mr Darcy.. instead of walking out of a lake with a dripping wet shirt clinging to his torso.. he has risen up the ranks to show us more and more of his mastery of needle and imagination. His work at times romantic, dark and brooding or playful and always technically sound and solid. Yes ladies, he knows what he's doing.. he has magic hands and he really understands how to handle a piece of fabric.

Whenever he adds a new image or passing fancy.. I see everyone's comments on facebook - an audible mexican wave - a giant collective gush (what would that be called, I wonder..) He is so loved.

So I won't waffle on about him.. I'll just put some pictures here, over which you may join me in a swoon if you so wish.

I took these images from his flickr account - 'ohmisterfinch' and from his website

'oh mister finch' indeed..

so much

So much work has been going on that my head spins. I hope to show images of houses I've worked on with windows lit up like chinese lanterns soon. That's a lot of hand stitching and there's a lot more to do. It's all really exciting stuff. Meanwhile the stained cloths and scarves also continue to go and go. Happy days. I will blog about other people's work again as soon as I get time, it's always more exciting than one's own, but time is just too fleeting.

cayce zavaglia

I've known of Cayce Zavaglia's stitched portraits for a long time. I always thought of them as beautiful.. but then I saw these images of the back of them. for some reason, that heightened my affection for them. I was so moved by the honesty of the craftsmanship and the painterly effect it gives.

I like to see workmanship in pieces. In my own practice I always agree with clients - what will be a comfortable length for them, for the ends of threads on the back of the work. Some clients may be happy with an inch or others with at least two inches.. the pieces can be dense and almost hairy at times. For me it is a more intimate connection with the maker. Some people want to be reminded of that, others not.

But for some reason, when I see pieces left with the ends hanging down the front it doesn't necessarily have the same effect on me. Not always, just sometimes. Because it is part of a self-conscious, visual 'technique' it can change my feelings towards it. It's a very personal opinion and I haven't fully formed it yet.. but I thought I'd just share some amazing images with a badly formed thought.

For Cayce Zavaglia's website and incredible work please click here

- these pieces are in the 'editions' section

summer

sunshine colours.. these cloths are printed and will be available via my website soon - pls message me via website for any enquiries

scarves

I found myself picking up my cloths and wearing them. So to make scarves was an inevitable next step.

This is a natural black linen with print and careful hand embroidery. I'm really enjoying these and the table cloths, so more will follow.

kinfolk

For some time my work has been changing. I find the process of stitch so meditative and over the years that has inevitably seeped into the work itself like a fine mist. The resultant stain cloths are a celebration of how I feel about the beauty of sharing food with friends and family, of sitting together at a table preparing food, talking, laughing, eating, spilling...

I believe a family table is a special place. As we study or work at them. Perhaps we conceive on them! Then one day, maybe it is where we feed our babies. We do craft with them, teach them, guide them. As they get older, we sit and wait for them.. they have their friends back for coffee.. the break-ups and the make-ups.. the family meals. Good times and bad. Sitting up late with friends laughing and sharing our lives. They are the place we share in the very proper sense of the word.

In my credentials I make the point, "whenever we are together at a table with food, wine, music and laughter... inevitably the next day there will be stains. Wonderful stains. I happen to love these flaws - to me they are evocative and commemorative."

Kinfolk is a collective of artists who celebrate those times we gather together to share food. They produce a beautifully shot magazine, a fantastic blog, they create films that feel are like breathing the best, deep breath and earlier this year they took this all forward to share with the wider public and created a dinner series which will be a gathering in 12 cities across 12 months. Everything they do is quiet, careful, considered and joyous. Their aesthetic is beautiful and resonant, simple and honest.

The kinfolk manifesto states;

Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us. We have come together to create Kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love.

Every element of Kinfolk - the features, photography, and general aesthetics - are consistent with the way we feel entertaining should be: simple, uncomplicated and less contrived. Kinfolk is the marriage of our appreciation for art and design and our love for spending time with family and friends.

all images and film from the kinfolk website

karen nicol

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

After such a long time away from blogging, I'm delighted to return to talk about Karen Nicol'swork. Without wishing to sound like a stalker, I have admired her for so many years and have dog-eared cuttings of her home (shared with collage artist Peter Clark) from something like 10 years ago.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

The qualities I love about her work are obviously, the exceptional skill and creativity, but also the continual surprise. I've spent years waiting to see more and anticipating what may come next and at times found it hard to find information or images. For those such as myself that made it a slightly exciting chase and nowadays thanks to technology we are able to gather a great deal of information on artists and creators that would have previously had little public profile.

image of 'Blossom' kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Karen studied at Manchester and the Royal College of Art and later went on to teach at the RCA, Bath, Brighton and London College of Fashion.

image of 'Blossom' kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

She knew she wanted to work in fashion so started her career in Paris. There she had the fortuitous meeting of a woman called Uta Raasch, who she worked with for 15 years and who taught her all about the fashion industry. (click here for uta raasch couture)

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

She has worked in close collaboration with fashion designers such as Chanel Couture, Givenchy, Matthew Williamson, Julien Macdonald, Chloe, Marc Jacobs.. and the list goes on. She works with designers for whom the process is an open one where she can have creative input and work in true collaboration.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

I was lucky enough to go to the private view for the work currently on show at the Marylebone Hotel, Welbeck St, W1 (running until 8th May). The work is technically brilliant as you would expect and needs to be studied at close quarters to really get full appreciation of the details. But the thing that struck me, as has about her work previously, is the fluidity and painterly quality. It is ironic that the work is made of many thousands of technically brilliant stitches, yet it has the fluidity that is achieved from great sweeping brushstrokes. Part of her success has been her incredible versatility and you can see that here in her personal work too.

photo by elvis robertson with apologies for reflections and lack of focus

As the private view was busy, I went back to get a closer look at the work. An enthusiastic hotel worker instantly wanted to talk to me about the work. She told me how each member of staff at the hotel has a different favourite, due to perhaps the bears they've seen in Canada, or the tigers or perhaps a family member who likes to stitch, so some more carefully embroidered birds triggered something for them. Each piece triggered different stories from around the world and different family tales which in turn connected the viewers to each other and drew out mutual empathy.

photo by elvis robertson with apologies for reflections and lack of focus

Each of us has a deep-seated connection with stitch and fabric, and hearing these comments reminded me of what a wonderful thing it is to put these textile pieces in a public place to start conversations such as these and bring us together over such varied experiences but such similar intimacies and connections.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

My personal favourites in the show are Queenie and Big Ben. The two monkeys appear as a positive and a negative of each other. Big Ben a pearly king with 'Queenie' tattooed on his tail. Queenie is of course tattooed with 'Big Ben' on her toe knuckles. The detail of the stitched tattoo's is fascinating as is the fine vintage mother of pearl embellishment on the other.

photo by elvis robertson with apologies for reflections and lack of focus

I suppose the reason I particularly adore these particular two is that as a child I really believed that I would get a pet monkey for my birthday. I loved them. And these two are so deeply connected to each other that I can ponder their romantic story, or struggle, or tragic tale which I imagine due to the passionately expressive look in Queenie's meaningful eyes (see image above)

photo by elvis robertson with apologies for reflections and lack of focus

photo by elvis robertson with apologies for reflections and lack of focus

Following is a question and answer I had with Karen. I think it gives a fascinating insight into the work ethic that lies behind one of our most talented textile artists:

What are your earliest memories of your love of thread or fabric?

My sister and I used to sleep head to tail in a single bed and she had a pink silky nightie and I used to go to sleep rubbing the fabric between my thumb and forefinger…it used to drive her mad.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

When and how did you start sewing?

My mum made all our clothes and was an embroiderer, milliner, upholsterer etc so my sister and I were always surrounded by it.

When we were about thirteen she made us our own pattern block and said she would buy us fabric from the market but no more clothes and we had to make our own which was brilliant, mine were absolutely thrown together even sellotaping the seams and often the end of rolls so I would put the tape marks where the fabric had been stuck to the print table down the back…wouldn’t it be great to have that irreverence now!

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Do you have a certain atmosphere in which you like to stitch?

I have a great studio and I love to be alone in it. My husband works next door so we give each other crits all the time (the promise of total honesty even when its unwelcome) Happiness when hand sewing is a good play on the radio or machining to music or story on my headphones

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

What is it that you love so much about the act of pulling thread through fabric?

There is something so calming about it but I just am in awe at the breadth of the subject there is always something new to discover even after all the years I’ve been a it.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Who and what are your greatest inspirations?

Probably Alexander McQueen and Galliano but I am inspired by so much, painters, artists, museums, shops, it changes every day, often just simple stuff. I photograph and carry a notebook for hasty little scribbles of everything visual that I like…

I am addicted to flea markets.

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Is there any one piece of work you're most proud of?

The next one…I’m always hoping

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Are there any particular people or events that helped you find your way?

'So many, I’ve been incredibly lucky, my husband collage artist Peter Clark who is just brilliant and seems to really believe in me so has continuously made me want to try harder to impress him....my mum as above, Judy Barry from Manchester Art College who was my tutor and now best friend who is so passionate about embroidery and just the joys of seeing.'

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

What advice do you find yourself repeating to students the most?

To be versatile, try to think out of the box, don’t price your work out of the market, keep your eyes open inspiration is all around you…and be irreverent about embroidery!

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

Do you have a 'greatest idol'?

No, changing continuously other than above

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

What are you striving for next?

I would like to be taken seriously in what I’m doing and one day, after a lifetime of trying, I would like embroidery to lose its stigma and be recognized by people other than practitioners as a truly interesting and expansive way of working

image kindly supplied by Karen Nicol

The exhibition of Karen's work is at the Marylebone Hotel, Welbeck St, W1 until May 8th. More of her work can be seen on her website, by clicking here. She is represented by the Rebecca Hossack Gallery.

Her husband is Peter Clark, you can see more of his work by clicking here.

With thanks to Karen Nicol for patience and generous participation for this piece and for her ongoing contribution to textile art, many people will be grateful for her creative inspiration and technical brilliance.