I have always had a love of folk art and now create illustrations for children's books using felt and a mostly vintage range of buttons, braid and fabrics. The pictures are all hand-stitched and I am always looking for more items to recycle and give a new lease of life in my work. Old aprons are a favourite source of wonderful patterns.
I take original pieces to show at fabric workshops that I give at schools, libraries, book events and other venues where I love to encourage others to make their own pictures. Children can achieve the same results by gluing rather than stitching the same range of materials that I use in my work.
I also write and illustrate in pen and ink craft and activity books and it was after one of these 'The FELT Book' that I began to work in fabric collage. My work also appears on children's jigsaws and games and was animated for a series of TV ads in North America for Triaminic. Working with an animation studio was very interesting and I hope to see more of my work animated in the future.
My latest books are two board books called Action Rhymes and Nursery Rhymes.
Original work, books and cards are also for sale at Oak Studio in the centre of Hampstead, London where I give regular workshops for adults and children.
Work for Roger la Borde continues, I've completed a Christmas 2011 range which includes cards, wrap, an Advent calendar and a Nativity scene. Also designed and stitched several of their ' Pop & Slots ' and next up are Valentine cards!
I was brought up in North London where I still live and work. I studied graphics and illustration at art college and within a year got a job at the BBC as an illustrator for children's programmes which was fantastic.
I have three children who are all artistic, the youngest is attending art college now doing shoe design.
Please email me for any queries or to say hello. It's nice to hear from the outside world!