Artist Statement
I’ve been fascinated with the images from the Hubble telescope since they were first published in National Geographic Magazine. I’ve always wanted to interpret those images in my own art. In the last few years, I’ve expanded my art from fibres to watercolour painting. I love the way the pigments ebb and flow depending on the surface tension of the water. That ebb and flow on paper reminded me of those wonderful telescope images.
With those wonderful images in my head, I am now exploring the combination of watercolour with my first love of needlework. Using my sewing machine and space dyed rayon thread, I hand turn each stitch. There is no pre-conceived notion of where the next stitch is going to go. Like those far off galaxies, the colours go where they want to go. The magic is when the painting dries and the final stitch is made.
Biography
For most of my life, I have submersed myself in the fibre arts. Starting with knitting socks as a little girl, and sewing cloths for my dolls and later for myself. From there, I moved on to explore fine art of needlework. I’ve sewn quilts and dabbled in beadwork. I now make my own yarn and cloth. Now, when I want to make a pair of socks, I use an antique sock knitting machine.
Friends encouraged me to join their painting group so that I would have more time to work on a loom that was in the room. One of the painters in the group was very generously showing others in the group different watercolour techniques. From the first time I picked up a watercolour brush, I’ve been hooked.
Today, I continue to weave, paint and dabble. There is always something more to learn.