Education

Attended Ross Grammar School 1967-1974

Completed a Foundation Course at Hereford College of Art 1974-1975

Completed a Weave Course at Hereford College of Art 1975-1976

Completed a Degree Course at Loughborough College of Art 1976-1979

Obtained Degree in Textiles/Fashion specialising in Embroidery 1979

Obtained Further and Adult Education Teachers’ Certificate 1994

Attended Beading and Bridal Wear Workshops at London College of Fashion 2004

Obtained National Open College Network Certificate in Interior Design 2005

Currently studying for an MA at Bath Spa University

Self Employment

Set up own workshop in Mid-Wales 1980

Started own knitwear business “Soft Option” producing hand-knitted mohair jumpers 1982

Set up workshop and gallery in Symonds Yat, Herefordshire 1986

Started business producing embroidered bridal and special occasion wear 1993

Freelance work for other designers including Chelsea Collections 1997 onwards

Positions Held and Teaching Experience

Wardrobe Mistress with Theatr Powys 1981-1982

Taught Embroidery at various evening classes and workshops 1989-1993

Taught Embroidery to City and Guilds at The Royal Forest of Dean College 1994-1995

Taught Craft on the Family and Community Care course at R.F.D.C. 1992-1995

Various placements with schools and Youth Centres including Monmouth School for Girls

Taught Textiles at the Royal High School, Bath 2007 onwards

Publications

Panel “Little Johnny’s Confession” illustrated in “House and Gardens’ Kitchen Guide” 1981

Own gallery featured in Daily Mail August 30^th 1986

Feature on work and gallery in “Herefordshire - The County Magazine” May 1989

Quilt featured in “The Art and Craft of Applique” by Juliet Bawden, Mitchell Beazley 1991

Four Seasons wallhangings featured in “Needlework” magazine December 1992

Two panels featured as design projects in “Needlework” magazine February and March 1993

Feature on own work including own wedding dress in “Needlework magazine” May 1993

Two panels featured in the “House and Gardens Needlecraft Source Book”, Anaya 1994

Award winning wedding dress in photo shoot in “Brides” magazine Jan/Feb 2000

Home and work featured in Western Daily Press magazine February 2001

Various articles in local newspapers and magazines

Various Bridal Wear designs featured in national magazines

Feature on Bridal Wear business in trade magazine “Bridal Buyer”

Entry Featured in the Hand and Lock Book of Finalists 2007 and 2008

Featured in “The Imperfectly Natural Home” by Janey Lee-Grace         

Exhibitions

Mixed exhibition with The Association of Artists and Designers in Wales December 1980

One man show at The Wyeside Arts Centre April-May 1981

Mixed exhibition with the A.A.D.W. at The Memorial Gallery, Newtown April 1982

Two man show with Madeleine Garside at Oriel 31, Welshpool May 1983

Mixed Textiles exhibition “The Wild West Show” at Aberystwyth Arts Centre August 1983

Mixed Summer Exhibition at The Gazebo Tower Gallery July-August 1986

Wye Four Exhibition at The Hereford City Art Gallery November-December 1988

One man exhibition “Say it with Flowers” at Ross Library May 1989

One man exhibition at The Cirencester Workshops 1990

One man exhibition at The Guildhall Arts Centre, Gloucester 1991

Mixed exhibition at The Silk Top Hat Gallery 1992

Mixed exhibition “Nature 1^st” at The Contemporary Craftsman, Monmouth March-April 1998

Mixed exhibition “Dressing Up” at The Lion Gallery, Leominster June-August 2001

Window display for Hereford Art Week at Parkfields Gallery September 2003

Various exhibitions with Bath Textile Artists 2006 onwards

Commissions and Community Projects

Panel for Semex Offices January 1982

Embroidered book cover (English Embroidered Bookbindings) for bookbinder Christine Westwood April 1983

Series of panels for poet Pete Wakefield illustrating his poems 1987

Various private commissions for panels illustrating client’s favourite poems

Designed and co-ordinated “Four Seasons” wallhangings for The Royal Forest of Dean College Library with The Young at Heart Club 1990-1995

Designed and co-ordinated 3 wallhangings based on “A Child in the Forest” by Winifred Foley for Coleford Library 1994

Assisted with dyeing silk for a conservation project at Hampton Court Palace 2007

Helped with project producing corsages for Mulberry 2008

Awards and Grants

Winner of the Embroidery category in the British Bridal Awards 2001

Awarded a grant from the Innovation and Development Fund for Creative Industries 2003

Placed 6^th and “the most popular online” in the Hand and Lock Prize for Embroidery 2007

Awarded the Swarovski Prize in the Hand and Lock Prize 2008

General Interests

I am interested in all areas of the arts and culture and love going to the theatre, ballet, opera and cinema. I am an avid reader and enjoy visiting galleries and museums. I also love interior design and collecting antiques and have an extensive collection of vintage textiles which I often incorporate into my work under the label “something old…something new”.