Natural Processes in Textile Art: From Rust Dyeing to Found Objects

Introduction

This book gathers together a range of techniques in textile art that make use of natural processes. It promotes a way of working creatively with what is easily available or close at hand, around the home and further afield. The aim is to be imaginative with what can be gathered from your surroundings and make work that is in tune with the natural world. We will explore a variety of ways to make use of found, foraged or scavenged items.

The desire to use collected items and natural dyeing techniques in art is part of a growing movement to be more sustainable. We will discuss ways of working with nature, appreciate ‘slow’ processes and look for ways of capturing the unpredictability of nature.

The book features the work of artists whose practice is tied up with their experience of, and respect for, the natural environment. They often capture a sense of place through their work.

Wild beginnings

I have always had a strong relationship with the natural world. Even as a child, environmental issues were important to me and I felt that everything should be done in a sensitive way with respect for resources and future generations. I was fascinated by natural history and was an avid collector of found things: dead beetles or butterflies, feathers, leaves and birds’ skulls. I still have many of them.

Footprints and the marks made by wildlife were a source of interest and I keenly looked them up in identification books and catalogued what I’d seen. I also loved to draw my finds and I would pore over books of natural-history illustration. My interests in the arts and natural sciences were well balanced but initially I chose to go down the science route, completed a degree in physical geography and had a short career in nature conservation. Both reinforced my understanding of how the world around us works and increased my appreciation of the fragility of ecosystems and landscapes.

Now, as a professional artist, my artistic practice has a strong link to the natural world and strives to take the environment into account. The use of natural processes is a key part of it.

A personal collection of natural found objects, used for study and inspiration.

Influential art

I have long been inspired by the work of artists who have a strong connection to the natural world, in particular Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Long, Chris Drury and David Nash. These artists work directly with nature, often making artworks that are ephemeral or subject to change through their exposure to the elements. Some of their works are made through the action of their bodies in the landscape and some are fleeting moments recorded in photographs, the resulting image becoming the work of art. These artists work mostly with natural materials, often gathered from the landscape. This appeals to me both aesthetically and idealistically.

The exploration of different and sometimes unconventional materials fascinates me. It is only through working with a particular material that you come to know it and its potential. I see this as a means of understanding the world around me. Artist Sue Lawty’s contemplative work is very much about engagement with the landscape on different levels, and her exploration of different materials pushes the boundaries of tapestry weaving and textile art. I was fortunate to spend time helping in her studio whilst I was a student, and it was a formative experience.

In my work I employ techniques from a wide range of areas including textiles, fine art printmaking and tapestry weaving. I build up layers of print and stitch, working on the surface of paper or cloth. I use the word ‘print’ to cover a wide range of mark-making techniques. Some of these marks are made by dyeing or staining and are fairly uncontrollable. Some are much more precise. Texture is as important as the marks, and layers of print and stitch change the texture of the surface I am working on. Detail is also important. My work is often referred to as subtle; if you look closely, there is a lot going on. I work fairly interchangeably with cloth and paper, treating the latter as a type of textile and recognizing that each material I work with has its own properties and potential.

Sycamore keys, gathered while walking, can be embroidered with simple hand stitch.

Balancing act

I see everyday life and my artistic practice as a continuum. They are interrelated and sometimes impossible to unpick from one another. In many ways this is born of necessity: a busy family life caring for children and balancing this with work and hobbies makes for small parcels of time available for creative pursuits. Half an hour here or an hour there, snatched between other commitments is sometimes all there is. I have developed ways of making use of these moments. My textiles degree was completed part-time as a mature student with small children.

It is important to make the most of any time available. I will often be thinking through ideas for things I want to experiment with whilst doing household tasks that don’t require much concentration or detailed decision-making, such as doing the washing-up, cooking a meal or hanging out the washing. This means that when I do get to my desk or studio, I usually know exactly what I shall do first or have a list of things I want to try.

Influences can come from all areas of your everyday life. The things that I see on a journey to the post office or on the school run feed into what I do in the studio just as much as the experience of walking on a remote beach hundreds of miles away from home. It is the experience of whatever landscape I am in that counts, being present in the moment and taking notice of the detail of what is around me. There may not always be time to record these small observations straight away. But making a mental note takes no time and these thoughts can be cumulative – the more you notice, the more you have to draw on when there is time to devote to creativity. Keep a small notebook or sketchbook to hand and you can usually scribble down a thought or observation, even if time is tight.

Green and slow

In recent years, ‘green issues’ have become mainstream and people increasingly make an effort to consider the environment in their everyday lives. The desire to use collected items and natural dyeing techniques in art is part of a growing movement to be more sustainable. Ideas are borrowed from the ‘make do and mend’ culture but new twists are given to old techniques. Many artists incorporate collected items, either natural or man-made, as a means of commenting on our interaction with, and impact on, the natural world. Some artists have chosen to use rubbish as a record of, or interpretation of, human impact. At a time of environmental change and uncertainty, artists can offer insight and new perspectives on the world around us, as well as a celebration of it.

There is an increasing awareness of the value of ‘slow’ processes, which foster an appreciation of responsible sourcing and mindfulness. The Slow Movement started in connection with food but has grown to embrace different aspects of how we live and connect with one another and with the places we live in.

Tide Marks Book #49 (2013), 210 x 16cm (82½ x 6¼in). This artist’s book is made from paper, rust print, collagraph print (using found objects) and hand stitch.

Techniques

In harmony with the principles described on pages 10 and 11, this book provides ideas and examples of how natural processes can be used to achieve beautiful results in textile art. There is definitely an emphasis on the experimental. The beauty of many of the techniques we will be looking at is that they are unpredictable. I love that serendipitous aspect to the processes I use. There is a kind of magic to it all: something new to discover all the