Bobby Britnell
|
One of a series of 10 pieces inspired
from studies of circles and squares
to create space and form. Dyed cotton
fabrics bonded, painted and machine
stitched to a dyed ground fabric. |
Commission based on studies from photographs
of a staircase. Dyed and pieced fabric,
machine quilted and hand painted to
create drawn marks and texture. From
the private collection of Bonny Garnett,
Toronto. |
I trained as a secondary school teacher in textiles and taught for 12 years, but now enjoy the stimulation of working as a freelance textile artist in schools and on community projects, offering one-day workshops or longer projects.
I also teach City and Guilds Design and Textile Decoration Techniques at Westhope College, Craven Arms, Shropshire, as well as offering a variety of challenging short courses and weekend courses, both at Westhope and at other venues across the country.
As a practising textile artist I enjoy the challenge of producing new work for exhibitions and commissions. I particularly enjoy drawing and designing and current work attempts to capture a feeling of the drawn mark to create form and depth in my pieces. I love hand and machine work and evidence of both can be seen in my work. I also prefer to create my own colours through dyeing and printing my fabrics. I pursue various themes as each new exhibition demands, but a particularly favourite source of inspiration is music and dance.
I am a member of the Embroiderers' Guild as well as being an active member of the Practical Study Group, and 'SIX', an exhibiting group formed in 2001 comprising of six textile artists.
Working as a professional textile artist and teacher holds equal importance to me. I have a passion for both and I continue to search out and welcome new challenges and opportunities to further my career in embroidery/stitched textiles.
Bobby Britnell
www.bobbybritnell.co.uk