Darwin

Festive Competition Entry

Button and wire earings

Floral Photography

Lips Brooch

Reconstructed Fabric Wrapped Ring

I say fiber artist. What I mean is I like to play with various needles. Right now I'm working on some big embroidery projects in tong in cheek, cartoonist, kitschy style.

When I'm not using my needles I'm using my pen. I'm hoping to put together a collection of poems about my day job.

My inspirations come from the Eighteenth Century, the Fin de siècle, and the inter-war period. The eclectic cultural mix of Manchester, where you can find coffin purses, hello kitty and bowler hats side by side, has a big influence on my work. That isn't to say that Devon doesn't. I'm equally inspired by the piers, beach huts and walks through Cockington.

But I'm a recent convert. I was working on a degree in Media Studies and English Literature when I started to suffer from depression. I decided that I should do anything I can to be happy again and moved to Torquay to live with my boyfriend.

In my day job I work as a maid and the rest of my spare time is spent walking, cooking and volunteering at Oxfam in Torquay where I photograph and list clothes for the online shop.

I'm always on the look out for odd materials. I have been known to pick beads, buttons and bits of jewellery up off the floor. If you have any unused and unwanted bits of broken jewellery or spare buttons I’d love to get hold of them. Or if you have some beaded pieces that are worse for the wear but you can’t bare to part with why don’t you get in touch. I’ll happily convert them into a cute quirky modern piece.

View my website http://solongas.blogspot.com/