Nic
Fern

In transferring my ideas to the studio, the needle has become an essential tool. Its historical significance is twofold. Not only was embroidery sanctioned by patriarchal ideals as being a strictly feminine pursuit, but the significant contribution also made by men to the practice of needlework has been written out of history, allowing for the masculine archetype to be more precisely defined. Along with stitchwork, other methods of expression include drawing, painting and weaving. In keeping with imagery recycled from art history, and as part of a responsible art practice, almost all the materials I use are salvaged, found or re-gifted.

In the studio, works materialise through a labour-intensive process, usually on a small scale. However, this is rarely how they arrive. My process involves several steps. Slow stitching is the meditative exercise within which I reflect on what I have read, thought or experienced. The resulting small pieces while physically disconnected, share the commonality of sub conscious creation. The final larger work can only reach resolution after the collective conversation carrying on between the smaller pieces unite to form the artwork.

I work from a home studio. It is important to me that I immerse myself in my work. My current projects are the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I look at when I go to bed.