Inspired by Japanese soft toys made from remnants of kimono fabrics, these are soft-sculptural and toy-like animals, mostly of hand-sewn fabrics with incorporated found and recycled materials such as plastics and wires. They are sometimes part painted or covered in plaster, or contain knitted elements.
Each animal is made spontaneously, using outsize needles, often starting with a limb or ear, and is freely cut, stitched, stuffed and added to until the form is complete. The final form is never known until the last stitch is tied off.
Cats and rabbits are the most prevalent types of creature in the work, and the emphasis is usually on some aspect of their character rather than making a true-to-life representation of an animal. They often take on characteristics that are more about people than animals; again, this is never planned and probably results from a combination of the choice of materials and the desire to make objects that the viewer can identify with.
Originally a ceramics maker, I was drawn to working in textiles and mixed media for the flexibility and variety of these materials and their potential to enable rapid completion of an idea, which is essential to the way I work.