Creative Process
Broadly speaking, each of Anne's embroidered pictures is a three stage process. Please click any of the images below to view a larger version in more detail:
Painting the image onto calico. Anne works from her own photographs. This is the greenhouse at Stourhead Wiltshire. The calico has been stretched over a simple wooden frame and the image painted.
Embroidering the picture with French Knots. In this picture, several strands of thread are used on the flowers in the foreground. To create depth to the picture, less embroidery is done as the eye focuses further into the greenhouse.
The completed embroidered picture, finished, mounted and framed by Richard. The mounts are of particular importance as the number is often more than one. This prevents the glass pressing onto the embroidery. Because you are buying the artwork directly from Anne, there are no gallery commission costs or extra framing overheads incurred. Only Richard and Anne are involved in the creative process from start to finish.
An image showing the front and rear of a completed embroidered picture. Please click to view a larger image:
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does it take to embroider a picture?
- This is a question that Anne is frequently asked and she never times how long the stitching takes. The short answer is that the the time is reflected in the price that a picture is offered for sale. Anne can never quantify the time because it is an evolving creation with an original idea that Anne will often stitch for short periods of time. Anne will leave the work for periods and then return with a refreshed thought process of what she is aiming for.
- Where does Anne get her ideas and inspiration from?
- After a short time of embroidering the pictures, Anne began to notice garden and countryside landscapes, flowers and how they could be interpreted with stitches. Anne is not sure she ever recognised the true beauty of trees, insects, lichens, mosses, waves or even pebbles until she began to embroider them. Anne has tried to give a modern feel to embroidery and in return it has enriched her life.
- Are the paints, threads and ribbons used lightfast?
- Yes, they are all lightfast. However Anne does advise that the picture is not hung in strong direct sunlight or above a direct heat source.