I recently graduated as a mature student with distinction in Stitched Textile Art at the East Berkshire College in Windsor and I am now a new licentiate of the Society of Designer Craftsmen.

I have an avid interest in stitched textiles which now spans over 20 years. I originally achieved City and Guilds part I/II in 1995 and in 2003 was selected to exhibit a piece of work, an elaborate and brightly coloured handbag, at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

During the 3 year Diploma course I pursued an interest in lace and edgings. When deciding the subject for my final exhibition piece, I conceived the idea of combining the formality of Elizabethan ruffs with Shakespeare’s speech ‘the seven ages of man’ from his play ‘As you like it’.

I further developed this concept and created three light-hearted pieces to form a theatrical Trinity of Ruffs – man, woman and child – it is a modern-day interpretation using a unique manipulation of stitch and scraps of printed matter trapped into a crusty lace-like fabric.

Each ‘age’ is interpreted by the use of pages from magazines depicting the influences, developments and interests as we mature. For example, sections from comics for the schoolboys, girly magazines for the young men/lovers; Financial papers for the business man through to weather reports and crosswords for retirement...finishing with the obituaries page! Similarly, the Ladies ruff contains abstracts from glamour, careers, brides, and housekeeping magazines. The small ruff which completes the formal portrait contains the words written by Shakespeare intertwined within the lacy paper fabric. Together, these large pieces are purely installation art and have been a surprising talking point with a lot of ‘wow’ factor as they draw the viewer for a closer look, as the pieces have a lot to say about the comical and fun side of life.

From the large pieces, I developed wall hangings/pictures depicting the circle of life using this unique use of printed matter. They are displayed in purpose made Perspex boxes. I am now continuing my work by making personalised celebration ruffs to show significant moments in one’s life such as, a new born child, marriage, special anniversaries, birthdays, retirement or, indeed, larger pieces for corporate use showing the development or products of a company or brand. These can be seen on the gallery page.

In July 2007, I was selected by the Embroiderers Guild to exhibit within the ‘graduate showcase’ in Alexander Palace, London; RDS in Dublin and at the International Halls at Harrogate as part of the Knitting and Stitching Shows.

New exhibition venues for 2008 are being organised...keep in touch with my news page!