kerry forkner
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As a textile artist I am interested in texture and using stitch to explore and interpret different surfaces, especially from organic, natural, and historical sources. I specialise in machine embroidery with hand stitch on printed or dyed backgrounds, layering and defining details and focal points.
Having been introduced to textiles by my grandmothers, I first trained in fashion and textile design, going on to run my own dressmaking business and teaching for adult and further education establishments. Studying for a City and Guilds qualification in embroidery while my children were young allowed me to explore and expand my love of stitch. I recently gained an MA in fine art textiles, using my love of walking to explore ideas of our links to the history of the landscape. The landscape around us has been shaped by thousands of years of human activity and natural forces. In recording textures and patterns, mapping memories using fabric and stitch, I aim to interpret an atmosphere of place. Colour schemes are derived from dyeing with plant material native to walk locations. Folding or scrunching fabrics during dyeing results in rhythmic markings reminiscent of landscape topography. Patterns stitched into textiles and paper are taken from surfaces, ancient or modern, trodden beneath my feet. Printed or stitched patterns of flora or architectural details may be added to dyed materials or layered between translucent fabrics creating unique pieces for wear or decoration. Scanning and digitally printing dyed experiments provides a way of repeating designs on a variety of fabrics which are then made into home furnishings and accessories sometimes with added stitched embellishment. I have a strong ecological ethos, utilising natural fabrics to create my textile pieces and hoarding scraps of materials to minimise waste. I hope to encourage my audience to take time to enjoy our natural world and to reflect on our history and our need for consideration of nature through my textile work. Email: [email protected] Website: www.thestitchworkshop.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/www.kerryforkner.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/kerryforkner |