Artist statement
I attended Ulster University in Belfast, completing a degree in Fine Craft Design in 1986.

Through freehand embroidery techniques, I create work in which the stitched line becomes a form of artistic expression leaning increasingly towards abstraction. My art is inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection. A deep sense of belonging to a place, where family history intertwines with present lives, is a determining element in my work. Using recycled fabrics and natural dyes, as practised by previous generations, evokes the layering of connected lives. 

I aim to weave a deeply personal narrative of connection to land, the passage of time, and the enduring practices of labour. My work is a meditative exploration of line and shape. It has evolved through the study of line in our organic landscape. Initially captivated by tangled branches silhouetted against the night sky, I find myself drawn to fine, scribbly line, which I explore through free machine stitch. I experiment repeating lines, finding new ways to express this visual language with the layering of transparent materials. My fascination with geometric ground has developed alongside this, which I attribute to our intrinsic need to organize space. Growing up on a farm where tactile, linear labour was daily routine, making hay and cutting turf, I am drawn to the patterns of the land, fields organized by ditches, and their organic order.

My practice is characterized by an organic, flowing approach to materials and techniques, allowing a process of trial and error, where one idea often leads to another. Recent work has moved toward a minimalist, geometric approach, using straight stitch in black thread. I layer and stitch repeatedly to create a pencil-drawing effect. I enjoy creating contrasts in the density of stitching. The line is becoming increasingly fluid and deliberate.

My process is deeply therapeutic. I begin each piece with a sense of urgency to create a continuous line. This act becomes a form of self-expression, a meditative ritual. I evaluate as I work, allowing the piece to evolve in unexpected ways. Sometimes I have an idea of how I want the piece to look, but often it changes as I progress. This fluid approach allows mistakes to be incorporated, rejected pieces finding new life in later works. I love adding previously worked pieces into new works, because, like the recycled materials, they already carry a history that contributes to the final piece.

Stitching is a way to express the deep, unspoken parts of myself. I see it as a form of therapy, a quiet space where I can process and communicate my personal experience.