The Umbrella Artists...
18 local artists under one roof.
Lisa Little
My 'drawings' are made using stitch combined with a freehand linear figurative technique and oil colour added in layers. These stitched drawings are on paper, fabric or combinations and layers of both.
I am inspired by historical textile techniques and this, my latest and largest body of work to date has evolved out of extensive research into 17th century Blackwork embroidery techniques. The fluid line is evident within my work and shows explicitly in my figurative poses and body shapes. The line also features prominently within my three-dimensional work, taking the form of the mountain or valley crease and fold. These 3D constructed compositions often use translucent or white material to further emphasise folds and manipulations.
The size of compositions are dictated directly by the relationship between hand-size and material. This combines with the natural size of an average length stitch, thread and pinched crease. I expose seams and layers by using overlapping material to literally blur the boundaries and edges, playing with the crispness of black lines on white paper and linen and the neat tracing paper creases contrasting with shadows inside. The free-hand linear drawings when stitched and worked over often have a print-like quality about them. The layering and texturing of these highlights a similarity between the spherical forms and flat pieces. The fold and the line are equally importent within my work, however, the fold tends to be explored within my pre-occupation with spherical forms and the figurative nature within my 2D work.