I have always been an inveterate collector.  As a child I returned from trips out with pockets full of stones, shells, feathers and all manner of precious things I had found along the way, and this habit has continued into adulthood.  These collections, beautiful in themselves, remind me of the places that they come from and the stories, people and events that relate to them.

For many years now I have also been making textile art and have spent time exploring the possibilities of cloth and paper, stitch and print, dye and ink.  Increasingly, as we have become more aware of issues of sustainability and damage to our environment, I have been drawn to using natural dyes and fibres in my textile work.  I have been particularly influenced by the work of India Flint and Alice Fox, both of whom I have had opportunities to study with thanks to Zoom.

COVID-19 and the lockdowns trapped us in our homes.  Although I was still working full time as a key worker I spent time discovering the colours and marks I could achieve using only the plants and other items found in the small garden of my terraced house in Leytonstone.  As we were gradually freed from lockdown and our horizons slowly extended, materials gathered on walks and visits continued to be the focus of my art practice.

My work grows from my play with these materials and the process of creation is as important to me as the end product.  I am particularly interested in exploring how cloth and paper can hold memories of places and the times spent there.