The Fabric of My Life series

“The Fabric of My Life” is an accumulation of 25 years work. This embroidery project follows my journey, which began as a student at Glasgow School of Art, where, in my third year, I had the good fortune to meet Miss Jean Muir. It was through our conversation, during which we went through my plastic shopping bag full of embroidered and woven samples, that she helped me form my style and focus on the path ahead.

Creating “The Fabric of My Life” has been an extremely significant process and has allowed me the time to reflect on many aspects of my career. The embroidered textile pieces, coming from the many commissions and experiences I have enjoyed, represent the memories and emotions which have flooded back to me as I have touched and considered each fabric. Just as music and scent can catapult you back to a moment in time so do the senses of touch and sight enable you to hold the same extraordinary feeling, allowing the mind and body to experience deep memories many years after the event.

When I look at “The Fabric of My Life” I see a record of my journey, emotionally, personally and literally. The kimono represents a world map of where I have travelled and where my work now lives; from the UK and across the United States of America, Italy, Spain, Germany, India and Japan.

The “The Fabric of My Life” embodies the enormous vitality I have for this life and my determination to keep searching for that little bit more. Developing the pieces is a reflective process and it gives me the strength to continue.

This is a series of work which will continue. At present, there are two in private collections in the UK, “The Fabric of My Life No.1” and “The Fabric of My Life No.2”.