Jennifer RochesterArtist's statementI trained as a Primary teacher at Goldsmiths College, London with Art, Craft and Music as special subjects. After teaching in Primary and Secondary schools in London and a spell in Further Education teaching pottery in Nottingham I completed a City & Guilds Embroidery course in 1987 after moving to live in Scotland. This led to teaching in Adult Education concentrating on textile related courses to vocational and non-vocational students. At the same time I continued with my personal work and exhibited with a variety of groups including New Scottish Embroidery and Embryo before their amalgamation with the Glasgow group to become edge in 2000. All my work is influenced by personal experiences and researches related to my collection of needlework tools, historical embroideries and foreign textiles. I especially enjoy capturing the "essence" of places I have visited. A series with raised, encrusted surfaces contrasted with smooth or rippled sandy areas developed from frequent beach walking and observing the constant changes made by the tide, tidal deposits and weather erosion. Visits to prehistoric sites in Scotland inspired a series of textile impressions which include the ring and cup marks on the rocks and stones. Pictish monuments with their raised images are enhanced with shafts of light to create the atmosphere of sunlight or rain. Enclosing collected items from holidays such as tickets, photographs and small items using layered sheers help to make more hazy recollection pieces. Sometimes I present my work as machine or hand stitched bowls as a change from wall hung pieces. In recent years I have published in 'Classic Stitches' and 'Stitch' magazines which has given me the opportunity to continue to share some of my ideas now that I no longer teach on a regular basis. |
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