ASIAN INFLUENCE

As a designer, I have always been drawn to Japanese textiles ; from an early age I was able to visit the museums in London and study their collections. Contemporary Japanese designers who create fabrics which are a fusion of traditional patterns, craft and technology have also influenced me ; these pieces are the result of notes taken from exhibitions, museums, travels and experiments in the studio.

FLOATING WORLDS 1

154 x 100 cm Three pieces; dye, silkscreen, dévoré and embroidery on silk viscose.
Oil paint and 23.5 carat gold leaf on 6mm.acrylic glass (1.2 cm. total thickness). Hanging separately onto an acrylic glass support.

This triptych is inspired by the Japanese ukiyo-yi cultural movement of the Edo period and the highly decorated woodcuts combined with painting. In this case, the flowers are dyed, silk[1]screened and embroidered against a painted background, the devore technique renders the lower parts transparent. The gold leaf that frames each piece refer to the "torii," a traditional Japanese doorway most often found at the entrance or inside a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition between the mundane and the sacred. In modern culture, the term ukiyo, "the floating world", refers more to a state of mind: living in the moment, being detached from the cares of life.

FLOATING WORLDS 2

100cm. X 50cm. Hand painted and silk screened silk viscose with dévoré; 23.5 carat reverse gilded glass. Can be wall mounted with an acrylic glass support.

This is the second part of my series "The Floating World", the images are inspired by the Ukiyo-e movement in Japan of woodcuts from the Edo period. This piece began with drawings from photos of some beautiful parrot tulips, the fabric was cross dyed and printed using fabric dyes; areas were then removed using the “dévoré” process, to reveal the warp of the cloth; this gives the fabric an aged precious look. The eagle drawn in pure gold leaf symbolises the power of nature that has existed since ancient times.

KAMI NINGYO REVISITED 1

Kami Ningyo revisited 70 x 50 cm. Silk screen and dévoré on silk viscose. Oil paint and 23.5 carat gold leaf on 6mm. acrylic glass (total thickness 1.2 cm.). Free standing on transparent acrylic support or can be hung on an acrylic glass support.

Here I revisit an earlier theme, the "ningyo origami paper doll"; a tradition of paper doll making dating back to the Meiji era in Japan. The kimono design is created by folding sewn paper; the geisha's face is added using a photographic emulsion technique , a square of 23.5 carat gold leaf frames the face. The fabric is dyed and screen printed; the fibers are dissolved using the devore technique and the whole is enhanced by the free oil paint that flows behind the glass.

Hooked

60 x 40 cm. Silk screen and dévoré on silk viscose between two sheets of 6mm. acrylic glass (total thickness 1.2 cm.) . Free standing on acrylic glass support.

The dévoré fabric floats between two sheets of high quality acrylic glass and is identical from both sides, the piece can be wall mounted or free standing on an transparent acrylic support.

The silk screen image of the crochet circle is taken from an antique piece of crochet that I found in a flea market – I love the idea that a piece of beautiful handiwork has been given a new life as a contemporary artwork using the newer technology of photographic silk screen making.

KAMI NINGYO REVISITED LIMITED EDITION ORIGINAL PRINT

Archival pigment inks on 300gm. watercolour paper, 71 x 43 cm.

This digital collage is made from a direct scan of my textile piece of the same name, the image is manipulated to highlight the delicate details of the textile which appears almost three dimensional.

KAMI NINGYO LAMP BAG

These parchment paper lamps are made using designs from my print collection, some are silk screen printed using the same screens while some are digitally printed. An LED candle with batteries placed inside the bag illuminates the semi transparent paper and highlights the hand cut details. The lamp creates ambiance wherever you go as it can be folded flat for transport. 24 x 18 x 10 cm.

Made to order.