Textile Artist Sarah

A passionate textile artists based in Bolton, hoping to share my tactile textile art with a wider audience. After a 22-year career in the health service as a nurse, I decided to pursue a creative practice and completed a 3-year degree in Textiles and Surface Design at the University of Greater Manchester.

My work focuses on the tactile and sensory dimensions of textile art, inspired by the intricate beauty and textures of nature, through hand and free-motion embroidery, fabric manipulation and hot textiles. My degree course has been pivotal in shaping my creative process, teaching me to develop ideas from conception to completion through sampling, reflection, and experimentation. This knowledge has allowed me to approach each project with a balance of technical skill and creative exploration.

Textile art, for me, is a medium of expressive art that is under appreciated in the art world, textiles are part of our everyday life and as an art form should not just be viewed but also explored and touched to be appreciated. I draw inspiration from how nature and natural elements create contrasting textures of soft moss growing on stone walls to the delicate structures of wild mushrooms growing on fallen tree trunks. These observations become the foundation of my work, as I strive to capture the essence of nature’s textures in every piece.

I have been inspired by artists such as Sue Hotchkis, Amanda Corbette and Susan Taylor Brown, whose innovative approaches to textiles and abstraction have deepened my appreciation for fabric and thread as expressive mediums. Their work motivates me to explore unconventional techniques and materials, pushing traditional boundaries in textile art.

My vision as an artist is to create pieces that foster a sensory and tactile dialogue with people, encouraging them to slow down and engage with the subtle textures and details of textile art. I believe art has the power to heighten our awareness of touch, texture, and the natural world.

As I continue to evolve my practice, I am committed to expanding my creativity and technical skills. My journey in textile art is one of ongoing exploration, learning, and connection. I hope my work inspires others to appreciate the beauty in nature and the versatility of textiles as an art form.