Juliette Orton

I recently gave a talk to the Bedford Embroiderers' Guild and as I presented my sketchbooks and artworks many of the attendees admitted that they just didn't know where to start with new ideas.  I explained how I went about it and how sometimes inspiration can come from the most unexpected places - such as a cup of coffee! In this instance I just loved the shapes that the milk foam formed (or 'Latte Art' as those in the know call it apparently!) and as I am a lover of nature instantly saw an emerging bud with beautifully veined leaves. This led me to open my sketchbook and start drawing and developing the shapes. I loved the flowing forms and started to think of different media that I could use to explore them further. I used wire to recreate the shapes and bound threads and papers around them to add colour and texture. I also used scrunched up magazine pages (with floral images) and machine stitching to present the shapes in another way. ...

 I  thought I'd share another one of my  sketchbooks with you in this post which is based on Islamic Art & Architecture.                                                               As a starting point, I did a mind map and looked at what the subject encompassed by selecting different themes such as geometry, script, floral, colours, mosaics, designers etc. I then focused on each one of these themes over several pages, presenting them using different media such as papers, paints, stitch, prints and straws (paper) to create a riot of pattern, texture and colour which I felt represented my interpretation of the theme. I experimented with the shapes and patterns that inspired me and did some repeat pattern prints. Some of the designers that I investigated were Tine de Ruysser (jeweller), ...