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For many years I have been a confused artist, I have dabbled with painting, illustration, printmaking, ceramics and photography and I have enjoyed a degree of success in each of these areas.  However, I have recently discovered a certain style of textiles work and I finally feel satisfied with the work I am doing.  No one has taught me this style or technique, nor have I followed anyone's lead, it's something which has developed gradually and it feels natural to me.

This current work involves the main basic detail of the design being produced in batik, over which I apply a great deal of embroidery and other embellishment such as beading.

The main influences in my work are major, renowned artists such as Picasso, Hundertwasser, Nikki de Saint Phalle and Klimt, but I am also a huge fan of Outsider Art and have been inspired by artists such as Sandra Sheehy, Rosa Zharkikh, Sally S Bennett. Tuula Huusko and Damian leBas.  My own childrens’ drawings and designs have also inspired my work, I love their uninhibited, naive style.

These textile pieces take many hours to complete as everything is sewn on by hand.  I don’t always plan my work, I prefer to let it grow and develop in a more organic way. The batik is hard to control anyway, and often, the resulting splodges and unplanned markings have to be incorporated into my designs. I like to make use of odd bits of material to use as embellishment, found things or items which are recyclable, such as spare buttons, bits of ribbon, beads taken from old clothes or pieces of jewellery etc. Many pieces on show here are unfinished, only a couple are mounted, stretched or framed, therefore, the textile pieces are not shown at their best. Work on these textile pieces began just over one year ago, so I do not have a huge amount of completed work as each piece takes such a long time to develop and produce. I often have to put a piece to one side for a few months until I feel that I can move on with it.

My ceramics work is mostly tile based, using white earthenware clay with oxides or underglaze colours, over which clear glaze is sometimes applied and some areas of gold lustre. I have been influenced by working with Caroline Chouler-Tissier in my ceramics work, another Derbyshire artist based in Earl Sterndale and a member of Peak District Products. My ceramic designs have also been influenced by Pollie and Garry Uttley, ceramic artists based in Chesterfield.

The main inspiration for any of my work is the detail to be found in surfaces, textures and patterns, especially in the natural world around us.  I have also been inspired by my travels around Turkey, by the architecture, the culture and the people.

I love rich colours and ornate detail, simplicity and minimalism is not my thing, as you will see from my work. I do not choose to work in this way, it is simply the way in which I feel naturally inclined to be creative.