How it all started….
It all began over lockdown, I decided that I needed to keep creative in order to feel less isolated and alone. My creativity let me explore my innerworkings, my imagination, in a time when just getting through the day was very hard. I started initially by revisiting my artwork from the past. Savouring memories and experiences that had shaped me back at college and university. As time went on I felt constrained by these ways of working and although, I knew I wanted to continue creating artwork, I wasn’t entirely sure in what way and who it would be for.
It was at this point I realised I wanted to explore a more sustainable way of making artworks. I decided that the process of experimenting with different materials would be my main focus and the creating and selling of my works kind of like an after thought. I also decided that if I was going to create artwork I wanted to sell them at art markets rather than just online. The experience of getting out and about and taking part in the art events and markets was an exciting and new adventure to me.
Rather than the marketing and sales of my work leading me, I wanted the process to lead me. If the process changed a lot I would change and evolve with it. The experiences of change and evolution of the work becoming the art. The relentless challenges of juggling it all with a family and a full time job….. almost like allowing myself to be lost just to find myself again. I am happy to report it has totally worked every part of my journey into natural dyes has been, magical, mysterious, fascinating, hard and complicated at times, but totally 100% worth it.
I read a lot to begin with, books like Wild Colour by Jenny Dean, Natural Dyes by Linda Rudkin and Botanical Colour at your fingertips by Rebecca Desnos became my bibles on an evening. Then I started thinking about how I could use what I had around my home and in my environment. I started collecting rain water in water butts to use for vat dyes, collecting buckets and pans to bundle and vat dye with. I found an old electric hob at a second hand shop with scales and tools to use. I researched animal and vegetable fibres and where they were produced.
As time went by I tried out different markets and different products to sell but I realised I really wanted to focus on the dye process. Now I am at a point where process is key to my artworks and each item I make is really a one of a kind artwork. I never want to stop evolving my artwork and now my focus is on large batik canvases with natural dyes on them. So I keep plugging away using what I have, always trying everyday to make something a little better. I try to evaluate my process and make ever more beautiful artworks in original ways. As the days go by I realise more and more that I can use what I have to create beautiful artworks and that the natural world has still a thousand things to teach me.
I cant wait to discover what’s next!
Here is to your process, my process, the process!
Never stop learning!