Artist Statement

Karen Randles

I have always had a love for fabrics and threads and this led me on to completing the City and Guilds Foundation and Part I in Creative Embroidery in 2001. However horizons broaden when I discovered how to change the appearance and add texture to a surface using mixed media.

Past work has been 2 dimensional using silk paper, dyes and inks, holidays to South Africa inspired me to use experiment with Indigo dye, stitch resist and tie dyeing to produce a series of wall hangings titled “African Vibe”.
I am drawn to colour and my recent work titled “Tempting Tea Dress” uses layers of cotton and sheer fabric which were painted and backed onto felt. Machine and hand embroidery embellishes the surface and creates an undulating surface bringing the piece to life.

Being creative is extremely rewarding but I find the challenge to try new techniques and ideas equally as important to keep my work interesting and to continue to develop. Fusion allows me to meet with like minded people and to explore new opportunities through the exchange of ideas and the workshops held throughout the year.