My current work is mostly textiles and silver jewellery though I am also making colourful earrings and taking photographs most of the time. I like to take part in online challenges. In the past I have done the 64MillionArtists challenge, with a daily challenge for January and then a weekly one. Last year I took part in Anne Brooke's 52Tags embroidery challenge (see image right). It was a very demanding year for me on a personal level and completing all the challenges more or less on time anchored me through a difficult period. (If you want to see the challenges in more detail they are all on my Instagram page, details on my home page.) This year I'm doing a Photo a Day challenge, which is also going up on my Instagram page. I've done it before and am enjoying it again now.
Textiles
Making the 52 Tags was a really inspiring experience. I learned a few new techniques and explored lots of new materials, only drifting back to my previous styles of work occasionally. I learned which processes I enjoyed most, even if they weren't new, and which I never want to do again! Since then I have been buying different materials and have some ideas that come from my photographs to put together with the threads and fabrics.
In 2017 it suddenly became impossible to buy the special transfer paper I use for my photo-embroideries. The paper just stopped being made; everyone agreed it had been by far the best for the job and I gave up making the photo-embroideries. Earlier this year I found it has re-emerged so look forward to making some new pieces.
Silver jewellery
At the moment I'm continuing to make items similar to those I've made before. I have lots of different ideas but many of them involve branching into silversmithing and I don't have enough space for the equipment at the moment. My journey explores the textures of silver with occasional spashes of colour - cubic zirconia in different colours, beads, and precious stones in the form of cabochons, beads and chips.