These are some of the samples of early concepts and experiments with different materials and techniques. There are so many possibilities out there, and playing with some of them is great fun.
Drawing with thread
Coming from a background in graphic design, one of the techniques I want to explore some more, is to draw with thread. Textile artist Debbie Smyth is a huge inspiration to me in this field, and I feel there is a lot of scope to do interesting work using thread as a drawing medium.
Trees of life
(610mm diameter x 30mm depth)
This work is created from thread embroidered in intricate patterns onto translucent voile fabric and mounted on a mirrored background. The six ‘trees’ in the image can be read as the intertwining trees of life (symbols of oneness and unity representing the interconnectedness of life on Earth), as life-giving veins and as family trees, with all the messiness of family life visible under the surface. Use of the six PRIDE colours implies inclusion of all within the circle, while the mirror alludes to eternal repetition, and the subtle inclusion of the viewer in the work.
I was gifted old spools of thread, and couldn’t resist the urge to make a French knitter with one of the old wooden spools.
Photo, fabric and thread. Still exploring options to combine photos and textiles.
Playing with text on fabric.
In the style of Debbie Smyth, I wanted to experiment with this technique – drawing with thread.
Free-motion machine stitching to create these “pebbles”.
Tea bags are flimsy and difficult to work with. Whenever the thread catches anywhere, it rips right out of the bag.
Attempting to ‘mend’ words from a weekly newspaper.
Slow-stitching with mini squares. A meditative process.
Using the left-over scraps of fabric from a patchwork blanket to make this miniature.
Mending a denim with machine stitching.
A first attempt at making stitches on leaves.
Incorporating fabric and thread onto a photograph.
Wouna le Roux 