My creative practice is my life. It intertwines with my friends, family, home, garden, and travels…
For an artist practicing in any media the starting points are the same; looking, selecting and interpreting using the love and medium of drawing, which was instilled in me from a young age. The confidence that I had in the ability to be an individual was encouraged along the way.
Enlightenment came when I was 14. The most influential person in the development of my art philosophies and standards was my wonderful secondary school teacher Anwar Shemza. An artist in his own right, he made me understand how cloth and stitch was another justifiable media to follow through my ideas. My response to a borrowed small DMC embroidery book became so much more tangible as I became aware that I could formally study embroidery and put together my love of art and needlework.
There are many phrases that Anwar said along the way. ‘You are only as good as your next piece of work’ was one of them; as well as the fact that a piece of work takes more than the time you spend making it…. it also reflects a lifetime of experience.
I am still learning, challenging and I am never satisfied. This drives me forward to my next piece. Creativity is my life.
https://www.textileartist.org/amanda-j-clayton-intimacy-hand-stitching
Colette Dobson Collaboration 