Alice Fox
Alice Fox is a textile artist whose practice is "based on personal engagement with landscape" (Fox, 2015, online), using found objects within her print, stitch and weave work. These are deliberately allowed to stain the fibres and stitches that they are surrounded by.
I have been following her work on Instagram for a couple of years and her work suddenly seems more relevant to my own practice. Where I have been looking at dyeing the yarn and fabric with natural flora, she uses found, often metal objects to colour the fabric. This reminds me of the bundle dyeing or eco-printing technique textile artists use with flowers and leaves.
Fox identifies as a sustainable artist. In her book, Natural Process in Textile Art, she writes:
"There is an increasing awareness of the value of 'slow' processes, which foster an appreciation of responsible sourcing and mindfulness. The Slow Movement...has grown to embrace different aspects of how we live and connect with one another and the places we live in." (2015, p11)
I love her use of the found object to create a new material, for example, in her 'leaf stitching' project. The fabric will change and eventually disintegrate over time, making them transient. Photographing and documenting becomes really important in this case.
Her book, Natural Processes in Textile Art, is as much portfolio as it is an instructional guide. It features much of her own work, but also references other textile artists, such as India Flint's eco-prints. I am really keen to try some of these techniques on my own textiles - perhaps not with found metals, but with organic matter such as Autumn leaves.
References:
Fox, A. (2015) Leaf Stitching. [Online] Available from: http://www.alicefox.co.uk/?page_id=2002 [Accessed 6 November 2017]
Fox, A. (2015) Natural Processes in Textile Art. London: Batsford.
Fox, A. (2015) Rust Diaries. [Online] Available from: http://www.alicefox.co.uk/?page_id=2000 [Accessed 6 November 2017]
Fox, A. (2015) Statement [Online] Available from: http://www.alicefox.co.uk/?page_id=12 [Accessed 6 November 2017]
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