From Sketchbook to Print: Creating Textiles Inspired by West Cornwall's Wild Beauty
I create textiles and prints to capture a sense of place and invite an immersion into the wild beauty of West Cornwall’s landscape, flora and fauna; with its hidden woodlands, sweeping curves of moorland and coastlines where the Atlantic Ocean meets the skies.
I work surrounded by meadows, woodlands and the ocean, gaining a profound sense of place through drawing from direct observation. The changing seasons and the interplay of light and time of day inspire me to create textiles and prints that invite others to immerse themselves in the wild beauty of this captivating region.
My artistic process begins with a sketchbook, where I record my observations in a blend of watercolor studies and fine line drawings. Back in my studio I create detailed botanical studies of the plants I’ve collected.
Gradually I develop the compositions and colours for my prints and textiles, often layering the minutia of nature within larger landscapes. These initial renderings serve as a foundation for my textile designs, which I bring to life using a combination of traditional printmaking techniques and digital printing onto fabric.
The Alium textile collection, consisting of cotton canvas purses and bags, provides a canvas for me to share the drawings and stories behind my working process.
Each design within the Alium collection features carefully crafted botanical studies of flora and fauna, enriched with hidden narratives.
Delicate depictions of Alium flowers, part of the onion family, intertwine with drawings of plantain, purported for its medicinal and culinary properties.
I also incorporate illustrations of Equisetum, commonly known as "horsetail" plants, which have existed for over 100 million years, making them living fossils. Some of these ancient plants even reached towering heights of 30 meters in the forests of the late Paleozoic era.
The Alium textile collection showcases a fusion of hand-rendered illustrations and traditional printmaking processes, such as mono-printing and drypoint etching, which are then digitally printed onto the fabric.
This unique combination of processes helps me to create designs that celebrate the wild beauty found in West Cornwall's flora and fauna.
To create the monoprints for this collection, I employ an experimental approach. I meticulously cut intricate paper stencils and apply ink to the printing plate in a free-flowing, painterly manner.
The juxtaposition of expressive ink layers against the clean lines of the stencils results in prints that capture the essence of spontaneity and unpredictability.
Each print evolves organically as I build layer upon layer, creating a visual story imbued with mark-making and imprints from previous iterations.
The Alium Dawn make up bag pictured, is crafted from 100% cotton canvas and blends hand rendered illustrations with traditional printmaking processes such as mono-printing and drypoint etching, which I then digitally print onto the fabric. I often use mine as a pencil case!
Beyond the Alium collection, my textile prints explore diverse themes and narratives. The Museum Botanical collection explores the hidden narratives within 19th-century natural history collections at Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
The collection comprises a range of silk scarves, clutch bags and purses.
The Cloud Bloom Collection was inspired by the sub-tropical gardens and historic fishing harbours near to my studio in West Cornwall.
The Moon Tree collection offers an immersion into the enchanting realm of winter woodlands, brimming with narratives and metaphors. It pays homage to the vital role that forests play as the lungs of our planet, nurturing not only the Earth but also our own souls and well-being.
Inspired by a whimsical concept from a 17th-century writer who proposed that swallows fly to the moon to hibernate, each print in this collection layers my illustrations of the moon, graceful swallows, and the serene beauty of winter woodlands.
The Sky Ink Silk wrap and clutch bag are part of the Moon Tree collection.
By infusing my textiles with the essence of West Cornwall's natural world, I hope to transport those who engage with my creations on a journey of exploration and connection with nature, and to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our environment. Each textile piece, meticulously handmade with care and attention to detail using natural sustainable materials, encapsulates the spirit of this beautiful region and invites others to experience its wild beauty firsthand.
Join me in an immersion into art, nature, and craftsmanship; journeying from sketchbook to print.
