About
A creative at heart who loves the tactile element of creating art.
I have always been drawn to textiles and as a child I enjoyed spending hours creating with textiles crafts . As an adult I continue to play with fibres exploring weaving techniques and possibilities before watching how they play with light.
While studying for my degree I was interested in the visual effects of water and light reflection, looking for an alternative material to weave with rather than traditional wool and cotton I started to explore using monofilament fishing line, a fibre I still enjoy using, exploring the challenges of manipulating the fibre with the tapestry process.
After gaining a constructed textiles degree in 1997, I found my way into developing art workshops for children and quickly became the education manager at the local arts centre, developing and delivering arts education for both children and adults.
In 2005 my focus changed from career to family. I returned to weaving in 2017 and exploring and developing the process which captivates me and to using monofilament threads, only this time the idea of using plastic didn’t sit well with me. After much soul searching and looking for suitable eco friendly alternatives (which I failed to find) I started to weave with old, good quality, waste fishing line, which I found people were happy to donate. Any donated line I can’t use I send off to an Angling society to be recycled.
I now weave with a selection of good quality waste fibres, both natural and man-made. It is important to me to maintain a sustainable art practice by recycling and upcycling fibres which has become an integral part of how I work and often has a direct effect on design and size of a piece.
You can find out more about me and my weaving processes by watching the video below.
Associations
British Tapestry Group
Wynd Gallery, Letchworth
Eastern Region Textile Forum
Herts Visual Arts
Exhibitions
2024
‘Passion, Determination, Vision’ ERTF St Albans Museum and Gallery (12th July – 3rd November)
2023
‘Material Evidence’ HTA Courtyard Arts Hertford
‘Quietly Connected’ Solo exhibition, The Wynd Gallery, Letchworth
‘Flower Power’ ERTF RHS Parndon Mill, Harlow
‘Woven Worlds’ BTG The Paxton Centre, London
2022
‘HVA Open Studios’ Arches Gallery HNM Hitchin
‘What Lies Beneath’ HTA The Maltings, Ware
‘Changing Earth’ ERTF RHS Hyde Hall
‘Sense of Place’ ERTF Courtyard Arts Hertford
‘Threads in Sheds’ Small works BTG Farfield Mill, Sedburgh
2021
‘Natural Threads’ Wynd Gallery, Letchworth
‘Threads in Sheds’ Small works BTG Whitchurch Skill Mill
‘Art Hive 5′ HVA Open Studios, Letchworth
‘Window on Weaving’ BTG Haslemere Museum
2020
‘Habitat’ Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre, Baldock
2019
‘Weaving Water/Woven Land’ BTG Farfield Mill, Sedburgh
‘Baldock 4 at the Old Town Hall’ Baldock Arts & Heritage Centre, Baldock
‘HVA Big Art Showcase’ New Maynard Gallery, Welwyn G.C
2018
‘HVA Big Art Showcase’ The New Maynard Gallery, Welwyn Garden City
‘Unique’ Solo Exhibition, Foyer Gallery at the Broadway Gallery, Letchworth
2017
‘A Winters Tale Exhibition’ The Upstairs Gallery Berkhamsted
‘Fungi’ Flower Shows
RHS Tatton Park Flower Show
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
The Harrogate Spring Flower Show
BBC Gardeners’ World Live
2002
‘Lucy Sugden & Zoe Addams’ Letchworth Arts Centre, Letchworth
1999
‘Open Exhibition’ The Place, Letchworth
1998
‘Craft Show Case’ Letchworth Museum, Letchworth
‘Flights of Fancy’ The Place, Letchworth
‘Making Art Work’ Hitchin Museum, Hitchin
1997
‘Christmas Exhibition’ The Crescent Art Gallery, Scarbourgh
Publications
British Fibre Art Magazine
Hertfordshire Life Magazine
CV
2018-Present
Tutor for adult workshops
1998-Present
Workshops for schools and groups
2004-2006
Tutor for adult disability art classes, North Hertfordshire College
2003-2006
Tutor Adult textile courses, North Hertfordshire College
2001-2004
Arts Education Manager, Letchworth Arts Centre
1998-2001
After School Art Club Manager, The Place Letchworth Arts Centre
Education
1997
BA Hons in Constructed Textiles Middlesex University
1994
BTEC GNVQ Level 3 in Art and Design North Hertfordshire College
1994
ND in Design North Hertfordshire College
Awards
1995
Commendation Simon Jersey Tapestry Award
Collections
Private Collections