How long have you been working as an artist?
I have been working as an artist for just over a year now. I started selling my work regularly in 2009, and since then I have set up a studio and been selling my work in shops, galleries and craft fairs.
Do you work with textiles?
Predominantly I work with glass, making glass jewellery using a technique called’ lampworking’ and I also work in blown glass, which I do less due to the rental costs of a hot glass studio. However I do work with other mediums to accompany my glass work such as hand printed cushions and tote bags, sometimes with glass beads sewn onto them, as a way to add variety to my range.
How would you describe your work?
My glass jewellery is created using a variety of colourful beads made by me in my home studio, which I then combine with silver findings and charms as well as other materials to create bespoke necklaces, bracelets, earrings, bag charms and more. The beads are coloured and patterned using a variety of techniques which can make them stripy, spotty, bright – anything that fits my current inspirations. My textile pieces are at the moment all one off’s, and to create them I use techniques such as screen printing and appliqué.
What is your inspiration?
I find inspiration for my beads from fashion, patterns, nature – anything that catches my eye for a project. One of my current ranges is inspired by African patterns and masks which use the bold contrasts between black and white to make eye catching patterns.
What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?
Although I’m not familiar with all that ethical textile production entails, as far as working conditions are concerned I think that it’s very important that people in other countries that make our clothes are given the rights that we in the UK have. It’s a shame that in the world we live in has become usual to produce our clothes and many textile items abroad where it is much cheaper, but the clothes are often bad quality and people don’t like to think about the poor conditions the workers are living in. I think it would be great if we could go back 5o years, when you could go to a local dressmaker to have your clothes made, choose your fabrics, and have it fit to your size without it costing the earth.
No comments:
Post a Comment