Anne Kelly - Textile Nature: Textile Techniques and Inspiration from the Natural World

Textile Nature

Textile Techniques and
Inspiration from the
Natural World

Anne Kelly

I would like to thank the artists and students named in the text for their contributions (see featured artists for their details) and the institutions and organizations mentioned in the book for sharing their collections and images. Thank you also to Rachel Whiting, photographer, to Tina Persaud and Kristy Richardson at Batsford for their support of this project, and to family and friends for their unwavering good humour.

There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge observation of nature, reflection and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them and experimentation verifies the result of that combination.

Denis Diderot, French philosopher

Bay Tree and Shoe by Anne Kelly.

Artists, designers and makers have always been influenced by nature, and textile artists even more so. An early series of my textile work was based on drawings of plants from the garden and as my pieces have grown in size and complexity, Ive kept and valued a connection with the natural world. Through my teaching and travels with my work, Ive observed that practitioners of all ages and abilities share a huge common love of nature and textiles, which has inspired me to write this book.

The journey will take you from its starting points through to making and exhibiting, looking at inspirational examples from around the world, and help you to grow your own work and connect with green spaces. I believe that observing nature can provide you with a wealth of information and resources for making unique and meaningful work.

will bring you closer to the natural world, and will show you how to organise your resources to generate creativity and enhance your studio practice. Looking at sketchbooks, folding books, a nature table and recording information in different formats will enable you to make work using a variety of art and textile techniques.

. Any student of textile design will recognise the staying power of the plant and floral image. Whether looking at single or many species, pattern, leaf or bud, plants provide endless possibilities for print, stitch, dye or construction. Simplifying your designs and making a printing block can enable you to use one design in a variety of ways.

Pages from the authors sketchbook.

In , bird and insect motifs, and how to make and use them in your work, are the focus. These subjects are increasingly popular in all areas of textile work, and we will be looking at the style and substance involved in creating and representing them. The context for creating birds and insects will also be examined as will three-dimensional design.

continues the theme of connecting with your local environment and making the most of the resources available. My work and other artists residencies in gardens in the UK will be explored, and we will look at taking your own work beyond your locality.

looks at how subjects from nature can be used symbolically or as a jumping-off point for further ideas. I look at the work of practitioners who subvert the themes of nature to send a message, as well as examine some ideas for working when travelling.

My aim in this book is to enable textile artists and students of all ages to find inspiration and ideas.

Baroque Ceiling by Anne Kelly.

Nature really is the best teacher. It is much more difficult to make up or imagine an object from the natural world than it is to observe it from life. Creating a studio or work environment where inspiring objects are close to hand greatly helps with the creative process. The traditional nature table has been a starting point for many students and echoes the cabinet of curiosities dating from medieval times. I have rercreated a contemporary version of it in my studio.

A nature table is a common element in many of our childhood memories. It is used in primary schools to introduce children to elements of the natural world. A range of found seasonal items, such as leaves, acorns, feathers, shells and plants can be placed together and the table allows children to identify and become familiar with seasonal objects and to handle them. Many artists employ a similar method to display and work from inspiring items collected in their daily life and travels. My studio is in my garden, not far from the house but far enough away to be able to observe the changing seasons and foliage up close. The windows give sufficient light to work without artificial light most days. I enjoy collecting unusual objects with students who use my studio and I have assembled some of these in a display with seasonal flowers and plants. Im drawn to vintage fabric and ephemera so these are included. This provides several opportunities to be able to draw from objects, either singly or in groups. The objects themselves are interesting enough but the patterns and structures found in them can also be used in a variety of ways.

The nature table in the authors studio.

Bay embroidery by Anne Kelly.

Bay is from an early series of embroideries based on the plants in my garden. I chose plants that I could see from my studio and embellished them with colours and textures that fit the theme. Taking the bay leaf (or any garden plant) as a starting point, you can create a range of work using a series of different techniques.

Stitch (appliqu and embroider): using a variety of coloured fabrics, cut out a leaf shape from one of the fabrics and appliqu it onto a background, stitching in the details of the veins and embellishing it with a mixture of hand and machine stitching.