Textile artist Emma Whitehead from Strangford launched her latest embroidery creations at an art exhibition in Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick and it will be running until Saturday 21 March 2015.
Each work is a veritable labour of love taking hours upon hours to complete. The ‘Space, Time and Butterflies’ exhibition is extraordinarily beautiful and crafted and well worth a visit.
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Emma Whitehead from Strangford with one of her butterfly textile art embroideries at the launch her exhibition in the Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick running until 21 March.[/caption]
Emma’s unique style of working items such recycled watches, discarded jewelry and recycled maps into very intricate silk and linen embroidered ‘pictures’ is very impressive.
She said: “These works are exploring the relationship we have with the natural world, the detritus of our lives and how it inhabits the space around us. I have used quality Irish linen woven by hand by Marion Baur, a master weaver from Flax Mills Textiles. The natural materials are all locally sourced.
“Recently I attended my first solo major exhibition in Berlin with the Flax Mills Textiles. I have taken part in a number of joint exhibitions in the past so this was a real challenge and an opportunity for me. It was an excellent experience and I was very well received there. This is amazing as I am not an academically trained artist. I am very much self-taught. My training came from my grand-mother who handed me down old skills in working with textiles and in embroidery.
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Emma Whitehead with some of her guests at the exhibition launch in the Down Arts Centre.[/caption]
“I use an embroidery hoop to put my works together. I enjoy doing natural themes such as butterflies but have done portraits and draughtsmanship before. It is all a very slow and exact process.”
Emma explained that she does receive quite a number of commissions where she then researches the subject in detail. She said: “The work I do is suitable for presentations for birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, or special occasions. I also do a lower cost version using paper which is also very effective.
“I went to the Fab Lab recently in Belfast to help shape up my thinking on my business development and that was very useful and thought-provoking. Most of the time I am based at Top Floor Art in Saintfield. This is a space shared by up to 15 other artists. I also run workshops around textiles.”
Emma works for Voluntary Arts Ireland which helps promote the creative arts and culture in communities. She works with umbrella organisations such as councils or local community groups to encourage local involvement in the arts.
“I hold regular open studios in the Top Floor Art studio, a shared space for artists, in Saintfield. Everyone is welcome to come along – details can be found on the website.”
or contact Emma at info@topfloorart.co.uk
Twitter: @TopFloorArt
Check out what is on at Down Arts Centre on:
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