THREADING WEST

Julie’s textiles are inspired by the colours, textures and forms of the wild landscapes and seascapes of the Scottish Highlands, particularly of Ardnamurchan. She loves to walk, drive and canoe through these wild places, sketching and taking photographs. She expresses her experiences through spinning, weaving, painting, embroidery and poetry.

Mountains and beaches hold a particular fascination. To enjoy them to their full, Julie takes relaxing walks filled with prayerful contemplation of her surroundings. She likes to slow down and linger; to immerse herself in the sound of waves and wind; the richness of rain and warmth of sun on sand and moor; to examine the crumpled textures of rock and seaweed.

’Reading’ these landscapes for past and present signs of human activity is also part of her experience of these remote places. She likes to echo the stories of these ancient and modern communities by using a mix of traditional and modern techniques and materials in her creativity. Traditional ‘slow’ crafts include hand woven cloth and tapestries, hand embroidery and spinning. Modern techniques include machine embroidery and mixed media.