Balancing Birds and Life

I thought I’d share more about the story behind one of one of my embroideries.
Balancing Teatime was created from drawings inspired by my love of birds, particularly the native birds of New Zealand where my mum is from. 

The Fantail is a friendly bird that loves to fly around you as you walk in the bush. Here, her natural plumage is reimagined to suit her colourful joyous character. 

This playful nature is then carried into the balancing teacup and teapot in the composition.
The ritual of making tea is very important to me. 

It creates connection through sharing while building memories of domestic life with my family and friends.
Referencing my sketchbook, I begin by cutting and piecing silks onto a cotton background. 

I then stitch freely with colourful threads using free machine embroidery to create the rich textured surface as I build up the patterns and images in my embroidery. 

The tactile nature of textiles is the most exciting and enjoyable way of expressing what I see and feel. 

If you would like to hear more of the stories behind my embroideries, please let me know by commenting below or dropping me an email…