What inspires your creation process?
All my ideas come from sketching outside in nature, not from photography books. How they develop into actual art pieces requires my design head and imagination in the studio; using the flexibility and subtlety of the fabric to translate the drawings into large textile works.
Was it a conscious choice to work large-scale?
Yes, the scale of the work reflects the scale of the environments which inspire it: seascapes, sky and landscapes. I also work in close detail, carefully using stitches which are appropriate to the delicate nature of birds whose movement through space inform my work.
© Nicola Henley
Does your work express tradition and innovation?
Embroidery has a rich history. It informs my stitches, which I use selectively to add highlights, tension and detail into my work. Whilst screen-printing serves the commercial textile industry for repeat pattern, I combine it with hand painting to create unique artworks.
What is surprising about your work?
Every part is hand created, each image is drawn or painted before being transferred to the screen-printing process. There are no short cuts, every printed layer of images has to be steam ironed, washed, dried and then over printed or painted.