herbals lanterns and jewellery

researching elizabethan embroidery it became increasingly apparent that the 16 th century was a period of great inspiration and intense creativity. the european voyages of discovery led to a vast trade in textiles, and the production of fineries and embroidery reflecting the prosperity of the period. set against a backdrop of shakespeare and a love of flowers and herbals, I found the journey full of romance, love and friendship. visiting the print room in the 'victoria and albert museum' and handling 400-year-old watercolour paintings of jacques lemoine was an unforgettable experience.

i developed techniques of collage incorporating my own sketches of wild flowers and the use of new technology. my work became about layers both around ideas and in practice, layering images on top of each other using acrylic paint, tracing paper, tissue paper, computer opacity and transparencies, adding more depth and resonance at each stage. this work is scanned into the computer and reproduced to make the lanterns using waxed paper and linen thread.