Meet the Maker
About Louise
I’m Louise, a textile artist, focussing on felt making, natural dyeing and botanical printing.
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Based in my garden room studio, on the edge of the Cotswolds, I am surrounded by lush green fields, gently undulating hills and woodland filled with wildlife.
The natural world provides the inspiration, the palette and the textures that inform my one-off pieces and often many of the tangible elements I use when creating. Regularly responding to the changing seasons, I love texture, colour and the hands-on approach to my art, manipulating natural fibres and fabrics into something beautiful.
Occasionally, my love of the coast interrupts my rural idyll, and I am filled with an overwhelming desire to be by the sea in Cornwall. The colours of the ancient landscape and the ever-changing light, reflected in the water, feed into my work for a spell and creating something with a strong coastal narrative helps to satisfy my longing, for a little while at least!
I create naturally hand dyed and eco printed silk scarves, using fresh plant materials gathered from my garden and natural plant extracts responsibly sourced from the wild. The relatively unpredictable nature of the process is always exciting, as the leaves give up their pigments and tannins to the silk and the final unique contact print is revealed.
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My one of a kind, felted wearables and 3D homewares draw further on the diverse beauty of the natural world.
Beginning by scrapbooking photos and ideas to inspire, I often make a sample piece of felt which helps me to develop my initial concept.
Each piece is created entirely by hand, taking many hours, thoughtfully designing and carefully laying out the fibres, before felting and fulling.
A closer inspection reveals the depth, texture and rich tones created through my use of luxurious wool, silks and other effect fibres.