Bluebells

Bluebells

I find creative inspiration in the colours, textures and contrasts of natural landscapes; from rock formations and riverbanks to forests and gardens. This tiny piece was made after walking through a Windermere woodland carpeted by swathes of bluebells under vibrantly green unfurling leaves. By exploring the intuitive process of creating and responding to mark making on fabric, I was able to slow down my busy mind and recreate the peace and tranquility of that lovely day. I used a similar technique as the sunset piece to remove the intimidation of the blank background, then layered squiggles onto the dampened fabric using a Derwent Inktense pencil for more defined linework. The muslin was gathered over a piece of reclaimed wadding, then small stab stitches secured the textures before visible stitches and loops were added, using my stash of inherited embroidery silks. Tiny beads came next, catching the light just as raindrops do in the spring sunshine after a shower. It was hugely enjoyable to relax into this process, feeling my way forward until the piece itself let me know it was time to put down my needle.