by Amanda

Artist statement

Colour, texture, layers, manipulation and tactility are all reflected in my practicee. Each piece is designed and originated from my own hand where the stitch and brush are my drawn marks. 

The work can be both figurative and abstract as I use my whole-body action during the creative process, bringing physicality and a sense of exuberance to a static image which, helps translate artworks into textile objects. 

A deep-rooted passion for quality of the crafted skills draws across a wide spectrum. I research traditional techniques but use both machine and the hand to challenge the perceptions of embroidery and textiles; honouring traditional techniques that are showcased in a contemporary setting alongside other mediums to create original art pieces for both the wall and floor.

After a visit to Morocco and my research into traditional rug making from the Atlas Mountains, I became enamoured with the capability of the rug to be more than a household item. Upon this realisation, I started to look in detail at our own rug making in Britain: historical hand-stitched rugs, rug tufting, rag rugging, and weaving techniques such as soumak and rya work. 

The introduction to tufting presented the opportunity to work on a much larger scale than ever before. The tufting gun creates expressive brushstrokes, textures, and painterly blends of colour. Then, I highlight with hand stitch on a painted background fabric to capture the vibrant beauty of nature. More recently, weaving techniques have been added into the mix to supplement the conversation between the materials.  

Hand-stitched rugs are no longer commercially produced in the UK and rug tufting is on the endangered heritage list. My wish is to contribute to the process of revival as I connect with the local landscape of Devon and Cornwall for inspiration, working from sketchbook drawings whilst on site-specific visits to better understand our cultural heritage and how to reflect this in my work.