My Background

I began weaving in 1990, thanks to a legacy from a family friend. 1992 – 95 was taken up studying for the Bradford Diploma of Handloom Weaving which I gained with Distinction in weaving.

After a year’s study at Loughborough College of Art & Design (now Loughborough University), I set up The Loom Room (1998) initially as a bridal fabrics designer and weaver. In 2001, an Artists’ Access to Art Colleges award from the Crafts Council took me to Manchester Metropolitan University (Alsager) which led me to develop my own range of fashion accessories.

Over the next couple of years, through setting up Staffordshire Open Studios, I moved towards fine art weaving and dyeing, which was confirmed in 2004 when I was funded by Creative Network, Arts Council England - West Midlands, and my local district council, Staffordshire Moorlands, to study jacquard weaving for 2 months in Florence, Italy at the Lisio Foundation, where an intensive summer course teaches design on computer, but with old-fashioned card cutting and card-lacing methods suited to my jacquard loom. 

These are examples of my work, created during my trip to Florence

 

In November 2005, I travelled to Lyon with a bursary from the Leonardo da Vinci project, facilitated by Birmingham City Council International Division, and formed a liason with the textile group "La Trame de Soi".   

In September 06 I attended the opening of the international Women in Textile Art Biennial exhibition and conference in Costa Rica, in which I had work.

In2007/08 I was commissioned by the Omani Government to set up a Weaving Workshop for the Public Authority for Craft Industries in Oman.  This project is for 60 students and my role was to set up the workshop with all equipment required for spinning, weaving, dyeing, felting and knitting. 

I also do research in medical fabrics, and unusual fabrics. 

In 2008 I lectured for the first time at Complex Weavers Seminars and had the wonderful opportunity to interview Peter Collingwood on DVD (available from Complex Weavers website).  Peter was the UK's master rug weaver who regretably died on 9th October 08.  I will lecture again at Complex Weavers Seminars in 2010 in Albuquerque, and also give 4 seminars at the Handweavers' Guild of America biennial conference, Convergence, also in Albuquerque. 

I teach and lecture both around the UK and abroad, including France, Austria, US, and Kuwait. 

I have been a teacher for 18 years or so, and I offer residential and non-residential teaching courses from my home and studio in Staffordshire. I write articles for specialist art, weaving and lifestyle magazines and exhibit my work regularly.  My work can be found in private and public collections in the UK and US.

I am a member of the Association of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers (on-line guild), WeaveTech, Complex Weavers, the European Textile Network, Pro-Weaver, Handweavers Guild of America, and the Surface Design Association.

I am also a member of the Designer Maker Forum (West Midlands), Axis, Textile Forum North West, The Textile Network, the Midland Textile Forum (currently the Chairman)and the Federation of Small Businesses. 

I also subscribe to Selvedge, Crafts, Fiberarts, and the European Damask Weavers Network.

I was a founder member and Chairman of Staffordshire Open Studios from 2001 - 2007.