Inspiration and work
I must have been about 11 years old when I first experienced a strong connection with nature. It was a powerful moment that struck me like lightning. While on my way to the butcher’s, I glanced up into the magnificent pink crown of an apple tree in full bloom against a clear blue [Hd1] sky. It captivated me and I found myself gazing at it in awe, as if time had momentarily stopped.
This encounter with nature became a constant source of inspiration throughout my artistic journey. From the colours and textures to the endless shapes and forms, the ever-changing seasons, the play of light, I sought to capture and express the beauty of nature in my work. I pursued a career as a visual artist, working as a painter, graphic designer and photographer for many years.
In my seventies I said farewell to my career as an artist and ventured into knitting, spinning, sewing, embroidering, printing and dying. These were activities I used to engage in back in the seventies, before I attended art school. I find immense joy in rediscovering my early creative roots.
So I invite you to explore my shop, where you will find various categories of items. You will come across a diverse range of products, as I love to constantly seek new methods of creating. Once I finish making something, I immediately start to envision new shapes, colour combinations, textures or ways of embellishment. So you will not find a large quantity of every item, but rather unique pieces that are entirely crafted by hand.
Vision
I love using textiles as my medium. The process of transforming flat materials, into flexible three-dimensional shapes is fascinating and never dull. But I also find great satisfaction in creating something useful, such as a bag or a blouse, as well as something purely beautiful, like a brooch or a wall hanging.
Working with textiles also prompts me to reflect on the textile industry and its impact on the environment. To address this, I gather fabrics that are no longer used and repurpose them. For instance, I collect sample books from home furnishing shops and use them in my bag designs. I buy clothes in second-hand clothes shops and refurbish them by adding embroidery.
In Japan there is a wonderful tradition of recycling and upcycling called Boro. Nothing is wasted, as items of clothing are continuously mended, so that they can be passed down through generations. On the right you can see a close-up of a wall hanging I created using the boro technique. It is comprised of a patchwork of small pieces of fabric dyed with plant-based dyes, which have been intricately embroidered.
I am currently exploring various textile crafts from different cultures and adapting them in innovative ways that retain a timeless quality, thereby honouring our heritage spanning many centuries. While working on these projects I often sense a profound connection to countless hands that have tirelessly and joyfully created something personal and beautiful, stitch by stitch.
