about...

I've always loved everything old, especially textiles - bits of a weathered and worn christening dress, a tattered old linen table cloth or napkin, remnants of delicate lace that once graced a pretty collar or wrist, all lovingly made at the hands of someone from another time and place. They bare witness to the lives of those they have touched and it's that mystery and romance that has always captured my imagination.

My sculptures are created from many layers of these discarded, forgotten treasures - frayed and faded bits reimagined into a new story, a new life in a different form but still carrying these memories with them. They are built over a sold wire and clay base to make them strong and sturdy.

When I first started using vintage textiles in my sculptures I struggled with the notion of 'destroying' them in order to use them the way I wanted. As though they would loose their story, their memories if they were not longer whole. These days I find so much beauty in the fragments and scraps and realise it's all still there....those stories are all embedded in my characters and they wear them well. Sometimes when I look through the many layers I feel this odd and very satisfying connection to the hands and lives of the people that created and wore these beautiful bits of history. Perhaps a bit sappy but still...

I can be found most days in my studio in Perth Australia where I create my sculptures and also stitch up lovely linen cushions and tea towels featuring images of each one as they emerge.

Thanks for visiting, please feel free to stay a while and do drop me a line if you have any questions - commissions are always welcome.

xx Susan