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| Julie
Bee |
You're
not originally from round these parts are you - what brought you
to Lancashire?
I'm originally from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales
I moved to Southport in 1997 to study for BA (Hons) Surface Pattern
and Textile Design at UCLAN Preston. In 2001 I met my (now) husband
who's from Blackpool and that's where I'm now based.
So go on then, what does a textile artist do - is it just sticking
bits of material together in arty patterns?
Most
people think of art as being paint on canvas or paper but artists
use many different materials and techniques to create their work.
A Textile Artist uses textile techniques such as weaving, felt making,
knitting, stitching etc. but not necessarily fabric. In my work
I use fabrics, paper, paint, dye, metal and other objects such as
plastic and wooden craft rings as well as traditional embroidery
stitches. My work uses surface design techniques such as layering
materials, dyeing and printing. I believe the medium of Textiles
appeals to a wider audience through its use of familiar materials
and techniques. It is a more accessible art form - the viewer can
take something from the encounter and relate it to their own experience.
I want my audience to trust their own interpretation of the work
- make them feel safe, warm, familiar and comforted. Provide them
with a basis for appreciation of beauty, inspiration, spiritual
reflection, contemplation.
How
did you stumble upon textiles being the creative conduit for you?
I
have been fascinated by the colour, richness and texture of Embroidered
Textiles for as long as I can remember. As a child I was fascinated
by the patterns in fabrics - tracing the outlines with my fingers
- imagining what inspiration lay behind each piece. I see it as
an inspirational medium - beautiful and opulent - mysterious and
intriguing - stirring the imagination - images of far away lands
- of richly embroidered and decorated fabrics worked by people with
lives far removed from my own. Textiles connect us with our roots
- they ground us - comfort us and evoke familiar memories through
their touch and smell. It is a comforting medium - tactile and homely
- it makes me feel safe and brings back memories of my childhood.
Darning Grampa's woollen socks, Nan's sewing box, ancient threads
and buttons, treasures to a child! Scraps of precious fabrics saved
from old clothes - each with its own memories attached of a person
- an occasion - like a textile scrapbook often with the smell of
the person they belonged to evoking powerful memories and emotions.
The warmth and comfort of being "couched" (cuddled) in
a Welsh woollen shawl during childhood illnesses, studying the weave
with a child's' eyes and counting the threads to pass the time.
Nan's printed cotton floral wrap over pinafores, her washboard and
mangle, the smell of soap flakes on wet wool...
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| In
this artwork, Celtic Treasure, Julie has used embroidery as
one of the elements |
What
gets your creative juices flowing?
I was lucky enough to spend my childhood against the backdrop
of the rugged panoramas of the Welsh mountains with their wooded
lakes and valleys. Along with memories of holidays at the beautiful
Gower Peninsula these early images have shaped my appreciation of
the beauty and order of nature. I am inspired by Welsh legends,
Celtic fairy tales, mystical beings, my beloved Wales, the magical
landscape of Iceland, rock pools, lava, snow, ice and glaciers,
the Aurora Borealis, the rhythms and colours of the sea, rock pools
and coral reefs, the twinkle of sunlight on water, the ever changing
sky and sunsets, the geometry and beauty of natural forms, foliage
and fauna, light and shadow, contrast of good and evil.
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| One
of June's fabric designs, Neonsquares |
When
someone commissions you, what do you do first - panic, draw or reach
for your remnants box?
As a professional designer I can't afford to panic! The first
thing I do is speak to the client, if possible in person to get
an accurate brief for the project. Creating a work of art to commission
for someone else is totally different to selling a finished piece
at a gallery. A commission is a relationship between me and the
client and I need to know exactly what they want and expect. The
sort of questions I ask are: Have they commissioned artwork before?
What they see in my work that is attractive to them? Is there anything
about my work they don't like or want included? What is their budget
for the work? When would they like it completed? I
would then research the subject of the work; make preliminary sketches
then if approved by the client a final design sketch, then translate
the design into the finished work. At each stage of the design process,
I check that the client is happy with the progress of the piece
so there are no misunderstandings on either side!
There's
an intriguing link on your website to something called Cucumber
Cottage - what's that all about then?
Cucumber Cottage is the Papercraft side of my business. It is
based around scrapbooking, an American craft rapidly increasing
in popularity in this country. Scrapbooking is the craft of creating
"memory albums" using patterned papers, embellishments,
memorabilia and most importantly photographs. Unlike the old fashioned
photo albums, scrapbooking uses archival quality materials that
won't damage photos. It is a way of recording family history, special
events, and storing precious memories. I sell scrapbooking supplies
through the website, at local craft fairs and at my classes and
workshops. And also create and sell handcrafted hinged journals,
unique little books which people use as notebooks and mini-scrapbooks
held together with the sort of hinge you would normally find holding
your door on! I hold regular Scrapbooking Workshops in St Annes
and talks and demonstrations at WI Groups, residential homes etc.
I also teach at a local Drugs Rehab Centre - I have devised a unique
course which combines Scrapbooking with Art techniques - this course
has recently been accredited by the exam board AQA.
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