I have long admired the subtlety and texture of Alice Fox's work. I follow her progress on her blog and it's always a real pleasure. Alice works mainly in textiles, printmaking and in weave and takes her inspiration largely from the natural world.
The variety of techniques she uses is fascinating - dyeing, printing, weaving, and stitch - often combining several of these in one piece. She uses stitch sparingly but always to great effect - definitely a lesson for me.
Sometime ago, I purchased a small piece from her which I love. The piece I bought, Pavement Piece #31 is shown here. It's from a series of work she did using the surface features, objects and debris she found in the streets near where she lives and works.
It illustrates beautifully for me both the simplicity of her colour palette - all that delicious rust and tea dying - and the complexity of her abstract imagery.
On Tuesday, I went over to Stroud to the International Textile Festival, especially to see an exhibition of Alice's work. The exhibition was a delight - peaceful, meditative and delicate and more than lived up to my expectations. I spent a long time looking at the work and talking to Alice ... gleaning, amongst other things, some very useful tips on rust and tea dyeing ...
In fact, I was so taken with what I saw that I bought another one of her smaller pieces, this time called Tide Marks #25 and part of a large series of work on the Yorkshire coast that she has been involved in for sometime. I will now have the pleasure of looking at it as I sit in my work room.
Sadly this has not photographed well as it is behind glass and there are reflections slightly obscuring the image and somehow bleaching out and changing some of the subtle colour.
The last photograph here is of the wall in the gallery showing her work in Stroud and shows the delightful series of quirky little weavings using small pieces of rusting metal Alice found on the beach. I was seriously tempted by one or two of these ...
Alice will also be exhibiting with Prism at the Mall Galleries in London and, I believe, at various other venues later in the year.
The variety of techniques she uses is fascinating - dyeing, printing, weaving, and stitch - often combining several of these in one piece. She uses stitch sparingly but always to great effect - definitely a lesson for me.
Sometime ago, I purchased a small piece from her which I love. The piece I bought, Pavement Piece #31 is shown here. It's from a series of work she did using the surface features, objects and debris she found in the streets near where she lives and works. It illustrates beautifully for me both the simplicity of her colour palette - all that delicious rust and tea dying - and the complexity of her abstract imagery.
On Tuesday, I went over to Stroud to the International Textile Festival, especially to see an exhibition of Alice's work. The exhibition was a delight - peaceful, meditative and delicate and more than lived up to my expectations. I spent a long time looking at the work and talking to Alice ... gleaning, amongst other things, some very useful tips on rust and tea dyeing ...
In fact, I was so taken with what I saw that I bought another one of her smaller pieces, this time called Tide Marks #25 and part of a large series of work on the Yorkshire coast that she has been involved in for sometime. I will now have the pleasure of looking at it as I sit in my work room.Sadly this has not photographed well as it is behind glass and there are reflections slightly obscuring the image and somehow bleaching out and changing some of the subtle colour.
The last photograph here is of the wall in the gallery showing her work in Stroud and shows the delightful series of quirky little weavings using small pieces of rusting metal Alice found on the beach. I was seriously tempted by one or two of these ...
Alice will also be exhibiting with Prism at the Mall Galleries in London and, I believe, at various other venues later in the year.
I like Alice's work too and followed her residence at Spurn Point with great interest. Lovely to own some of her beautiful work. I'm hoping to do a workshop with her in the autumn. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteLucky, lucky you to have the chance of doing a workshop with Alice. I found her so forthcoming and helpful, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
DeleteAlice Fox's work is indeed a delight. How lovely that you have a couple of pieces to enjoy every day.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a delight. I'm so enjoying my two pieces.
DeleteI went to see Alice's work today - I loved it!!
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed you by three days, but being there largely on my own meant I had time to talk to Alice at length.
DeleteI love Alice's work, have been following her for a couple years. How wonderful that you got to see her work in the flesh, also that you own a couple pieces! Have a beautiful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHer exhibition was extraordinarily unified in colour and in a lovely small, intimate gallery which made it an especial pleasure to look at.
DeleteOh how I love her work. Have spent the last year collecting bits of rust on the beach inspired by this work. Still to do ant thing with them mind!
ReplyDeleteI've been walking round the garden eyeing up discarded metal left around by my husband ... and thinking! Not got quite the same romance attached to it as bits of rust on a beach, though ...
DeleteI also love Alice's work and own a small piece. I also took part in a day workshop with her on Thursday this week in the gallery, it was a delightful day and we learnt so much. Am watching the colour and patterns emerge on a piece I did with her, the others are waiting to be finished.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you are. I missed out by a day when I tried to book for the same workshop. I found her delightful to talk to and very, very willing to share her knowledge.
DeleteLovely work, one day I'll get to one of her shows. Right, I'm off to read more about you!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome. Having had a quick glimpse at your lovely blog, I will now read more about YOU! - Including I think some more links to explore ... What a great thing this blogging is!
DeleteI can't say I have 'met' Alice's work before. Thank you so much for the introduction. And how lovely for you to have some of her pieces to continue to inspire you! Isn't blogging the best....I'm just heading over to 'meet' Alice and I still have my housecoat on!!
ReplyDeleteBlogging sure is amazing, Marny ... just so many links to be made and so many delights to explore, and all without leaving the comfort of your own PC.
DeleteDear Charlton Stitcher - there is a chance to see a little more of Alice's work at an exhibition taking place in Herefordshire next nonth too. Alice is one of the 10 artists taking part in this year's Group Gathering project: http://agroupgathering.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/on-show.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link, Murgatroyd. I'd heard of the Group Gathering and the Shirt Collar project and had forgotten Alice was involved.
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