As Nature Is My Inspiration...

I have never had any problems finding inspiration whilst living in Cornwall, it seems like everywhere I look or go inspiration is rife. To the extent that I have sketchbooks filled with designs, sketches and notes, all ready for me to turn into textile art. I truly believe that my best works are those evoked through memories and from real experiences that I integrate into my art and bring back to my studio to work from. For me working from my observations allows me to integrate all of nature's details, the individual characters of creatures and their movements, making each piece of art truly unique. Even though I have sketchbooks full I still love venturing outside whether it be on the wild, untouched moors or the just outside my back door. Wildlife is everywhere if you create a home for it, from the smallest insect hiding in the warmth of the long grass, to our feathered friends that dominate the skies. I will go to any lengths to find inspiration, which often finds me in some tricky situations like venturing off the beaten track on the moors or balancing on a kayak whilst sketching and trying not get wet!

Going to wild isolated areas is an excellent way to observe wildlife though it isn't always necessary, this month the frogs in my pond have been a great inspiration to me. It is that time of the year when the pond has become completely taken over by both frogs and newts mating. Large numbers of male frog fight over the few females. The males were even attracted to the underwater camera that had orange markings on the casing. The pond ends up with pockets of frog spawn amongst the reeds and aquatic plants. The frogs guard the spawn in large numbers and the noise they make is something else. This has inspired one of my latest piece 'The Guarding Of The Spawn' which is available to buy and view at www.nsltextileart.co.uk/theguardingofthespawn