I was born and raised in a small village called Tal-y-bont, bang in the middle of Wales, but far West, a few miles from the Irish Sea and Cardigan Bay with a population of about 700 people, a primary school, post office, pharmacy and two pubs, what more do you need; a woollen mill? Imagine living in a village that used to have two woollen mills, yes, two manufacturing woollen mills producing tweed cloth for suit making. The wool was purchased directly from the local farmers, processed by water-powered machinery, woven by hand, washed in the river and sold onsite. The perfect circle.

Unfortunately, I came to this world after both woollen mills had closed. Was I inspired by the derelict buildings when I was growing up, was I amazed by the thought of my little village having two factories, is it in my blood, who knows? 

The only thing I do know, is that the feeling of belonging to country and culture is important to me and one way of expressing this is through my work. I see weaving as a way to bring together industry and culture.

I went on to study textiles at Manchester School of Art. At that time, I wasn’t there to study the history of the woollen industry or even thought too much about the link to my upbringing, but interested in how textiles have such a huge part of our every day. Think about it, you’re born and wrapped in cloth. We put on clothing every day next to our skin. Our feet walk along carpets, on wooden floorboards on concrete slabs and sometimes even run along cobbled streets. We sit, drape, lounge on what will support and comfort our bodies. Textiles and texture is everywhere.