Cotehele
Cotehele is a Tudor house with medieval roots and before the Covid lockdown Drawn to the Valley artists were invited for a drawing day at the National Trust property. We arrived to banks of daffodils, Spring blossom and glorious sunshine.
I chose to recreate the fortified gatehouse using rescued fabrics and machine embroidery. Rustic tweed recreates the granite fortification contrasting with sumptuous velvet for the pristine lawns. Hedges and trees surround the manor house which were ‘painted’ with thousands of free motion embroidery stitches. The daffodils are tiny hand embroidered French knots and the blossom is a variety of embroidery and 3D raised blooms.
The original artwork took over 30hours to create
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Kit Hill
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Living in the Tamar Valley one can’t help but be inspired by the incredible countryside and on a damp and mizzly day the dog and I walked around its highest point, Kit Hill. Engulfed in fog it was eerie, yet calm and peaceful so I sat and sketched until we were both soaked through!
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Kit Hill, in the SE of Cornwall is an area rich in archeology from 19th century mining works to a neolithic long barrow. It is an AONB, surrounded by 400 acres of heathland. Kit means kite in old English, referring to birds of prey. Buzzards and sparrowhawks frequent the area as do a host of wildlife and grazing animals.
We are fortunate to see Kit Hill from our window as I sit and stitch.
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This original artwork was created using rescued fabrics, silk, organza, tweed, linen and velvet. These were stitched with machine embroidery and further embellishment created the moss and lichen which made its home on the rough walls
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Located in the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Kit Hill is a distinctive outcrop of the great granite mass that runs under the whole of Cornwall. The area is rich in archaeology from a Neolithic long barrow to 19th century mining remains and is also home to a rare array of animal and plant life
– taken from the Visit Cornwall website
Drifting
The Tamar Valley is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) and every day I'm inspired by our surroundings. The view from my window is of the River Tamar as it winds its way from its source near Morwenstow, passing Cotehele en route.
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It is a changing picture that reflects the weather and tides.; always busy with traffic from sailors and locals' fishing to Cornish gigs, naval vessels and an occasional historic Tamar Barge.
This piece was created using rescued fabrics, silk, organza, netting, chiffon and velvet. These were stitched with machine embroidery to depict the drifting tidal currents then embellished with hand stitched beads .