We are a small group of 8 artists and our strength is in the diversity of the group. We each focus on a different area of contemporary textile art and while there are some areas where we overlap, each individual style is very different.
Read a little about each member below.
Hilary Belchak
After retiring from a career in law, I took a short course in Felt-making at the City Literary Institute in London in 2011 followed by City & Guilds Felt-making courses with Artybird, a small Art education establishment in Lancashire. I am a member of the International Feltmakers Association. I have developed an interest in printing and hand stitching on fabric and paper, picking up on techniques that the group has explored in our workshops.
Lesley Buckwell
I have sewn since I was a child, but like many others did not have the time whilst working in education to pursue my own interests. Since retiring I have been able to develop my creative side, in painting, drawing, printmaking and textile art. Increasingly I find myself combining these disciplines since I comepleted a Diploma in Machine Embroidery. I have a particular interest in printing and enjoy building up layers and surface texture. Recently I have been drawn to collage. Most of all I love experimenting. Much of my work relates to my surroundings; a deep love of the Suffolk countryside, and to my wider interst in the natural world.
I am a member of Chain Reaction, Feed Dogs Down, Contemporary Quilt Iceni Textile groups & the Eye Arts Guild.
Liz Chester
I originally learned to weave tapestry as a teenager with the Lyth Tapestry Weavers of Caithnessin Scotland (now defunct). I then pursued a career in IT and weavingbecame a passionate hobby. In 2008 I opted for redundancy and took the plunge to become a professional tapestry weaver. Since then I have joined the suffok Craft Society, Textile Art Group suffolk (TAGS) and more recently, Chain Reaction. I exhibit my work locally, nationally and occasionally internationally. Presently I work mostly for exhibition submission but I am slowly building up commisioned work and welcome any requests.
Alison Couchman
I worked as an Art teacher, spent time working in industry then set up my own own business training teachers. It left little time for my own work but the urge to create was always there as I come from a long line of makers.
My work is mainly wholecloth painted art quilts. I work from photographs painting onto smooth egyptian cotton before machine embroidering and quilting. I aim for a contemporary style to my work and often use brightly coloured backgrounds to achieve this.
Jane Laya
Jane Laya comes from a background of dyeing cloth and feels connected to the silk mills in Sudbury and textiles in Lavenham.
She has develeoped an interes in interpreting Japanese Boro techniques in an English way. Boro is a way of sewing cloth, often using running stitching tomake larger pieces. Using free stencilling and a ariety of print techniques Jane works to produce intriguing surfaces on cloth and combines them to make unusual images. Final stitching beomes improtant mark making as well as acting to integrate fabrics.
Sally Mills
I have completed City and Guilds in patchwork and Quilting at both Certificate and Diploma Level. Whilst I am still working with indigo designs, much of my present work is based on our local fens, depicting aspects of it with embroidery.
Carol Sutherland
I learned to embroider at the age of ten when I was given a tray cloth by my grandmother who bleieved I spent to much time with my nose in a book. I haven't stopped since, slowly working my way from transfers and kits to creating my own work. I have a City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Creative Embroidery taken with Isabel Clover at Suffolk College and I am a member of The Embroiderers Guild and Chain Reaction.
Katie Walker
Having studied Ar & Design at Colchester Institute, in recent years I have concentrated on developing interest and skills in felted textiles. I use a wide range of techniqques to form structural shapes and images using merino wool in wide, bright colour range. My inspiration has evolved from the 60's era and I enjoy experimenting with designs, styles and techniques in all aspect of feltmaking.
I am a member of suffolk Craft Society and Textile Art Group Suffok and my work is exhibited widely iin East Anglia.