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04 July 2023
A lovely display of Ruth’s work was available for members to view prior to her talk.
Ruth comes from Evesham. Her garden studio provides a wonderful space for her projects, as does the garden where she can be found dyeing fabric and threads or sitting hand stitching. She also has another store where she stashes fabric which she has bought, found in charity shops or been given by generous contacts. She enjoys challenging herself and trying out new creative ideas to incorporate into her projects.
Plain fabrics such as cotton and linen are frequently her starting points. At the back of her mind, she is always considering what is left when her work is complete. Her guide is “do not overdo”.
Colour is provided through dyeing (fabric paint, procion dyes, indigo etc.) and printing (screen or line etched plates etc.). She does not like using black thread; in fact, she frequently dyes what she uses. For her free machine embroidery, she uses Gutterman cotton or Madeira rayon or metallic threads.
She adds layers to her work including a new find – medical gauze – and things that she buys e.g. shisha mirrors and washers, or finds e.g. shells and bits of wood.
Inspiration for her work comes from her local surroundings and the sea (which she used to live close to). Ideas are worked on in her sketchbooks. Ruth was keen to emphasise that these are not pristine but rather working documents for trying out ideas. She encourages people to look carefully and from different angles. Her camera is an invaluable asset, as are the reference books that she regularly uses.
Members thoroughly enjoyed Ruth’s talk which gave them much insight into how she creates her beautiful work.
MKG
Our July 2023 gallery
