SIXTEEN GALLERY |29 MAY - 4 JUNE
A SOLO RETROSPECTIVE BY TEXTILE ARTIST AND FELTMAKER SARAH BROOKER.
A COLLECTION OF HAND-ROLLED FELTS, APPLIQUÉD VINTAGE FABRICS, PAINTINGS AND DRAWING STUDIES FROM EXHIBITIONS SPANNING 35 YEARS
Sarah has worked and exhibited as a Fine Artist for over 35 years, showing in the UK and abroad. She studied at Braintree ( Foundation ) followed by BA hons at Portsmouth Poly in the 1980s alongside both with friend and colleague Grayson Perry. After working as artist in residence at Battersea Arts Centre, London , she undertook an MA in Textiles at Goldsmiths College. On leaving , her and fellow student Alice Kettle created their first touring show 'Machinations' which toured from Cardiff (Arts Council Wales) to galleries around the UK for two years.
More recently Sarah was a resident maker at New Brewery Arts , Cirencester from 2000 - 2014.
Feltmaking had entranced her since being shown the process at Goldsmiths , and she rapidly switched from working with metals, to the imagery the wonderful dyed wool tops ( merino ) inspired. She then applied the technique to 'painting/ drawing' with wool. The flexibility and ability to actually hold colour was fascinating and has lead to many commissions and exhibitions.
Critical to the envisioning , for wallhangings and the newer 'cut outs' is her capacity for drawing , which was hardwired from her mothers influence. Anna was a successful watercolourist from their hometown of Saffron Walden, Essex.
"Felting is an oddly addictive process; one in which the final result will always be unpredictable, as firing a pot. And I think the need to think in these terms after so long will always be there with me - albeit after enduring several back injuries in recent times - the magic of holding the colour itself is always alluring"
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