The five day course was focused upon translating pictures into textiles design, enabling participants to be inspired by Janet's style of work. Note: Janet and myself have very different approaches to embroidery design- mine recreating abstract hand drawn marks through machine and hand combinations; Janet taking a more literal approach creating relationships between cloth, memories and stitch. I find the most enjoyable aspects of workshops is to be inspired by a totally new method of working, to then adapt to my own traits.
Janet works with the concept of playing, working around colour ways and themes, using literal examples of people and places to create scenarios from fabrics. Passionate about folk art, she enjoys the nostalgic approach towards her work, other people's interpretations found in the pieces she produces.
I was able to take invaluable advice from Janet with regards to the textiles industry, as she herself has spent her entire lifetime travelling and exploring different contexts and processes of working. The biggest piece of guidance was that you don't need to please anyone but yourself. Irregardless of degree grade or qualifications, if you show enough determination and passion, you will succeed.
Also, you should never think of things that don't work out as negative: doing things that you don't enjoy backs up the confirmed passions that you do enjoy.
