Alysn Midgelow-Marsden

Alysn creates contemporary textile works which exploit the boundaries of multiple surfaces by doing this, new dimensions of textiles are revealed using threads and fibres and metals.
Alysn says 'I work with embroidered textiles, using a wide range of contemporary textile techniques. These include dying, painting, layering, piecing and burning fabrics and then adding threads and embellishments by hand and machine.
Increasingly I find that using textile techniques in unusual materials such as metal and mixing the textiles with other media gives me the scope to investigate my interest in the different surface qualities which are achievable.
Textiles have maintained a high degree of significance through time and culture, holding a multiplicity of meanings and associations, including utilitarian, celebratory, ritualistic, political, symbolic, personal and communal. In our society the decorating of textiles is often stereotyped and can invite a shallow, prejudiced response.
I am concerned to challenge these preconceptions whilst acknowledging that my relationship with embroidery does lead from learning stem-stitch, lazy-daisy and French knots for table cloths with my Grandmother.
The embroideries usually take the form of hangings or framed pieces of semi-abstract expressionistic pictures with evocative forms and figures.
Recent work includes use of metal, stone, paint and found objects in addition to the textiles.
I also produce complementary ranges of smaller items such as boxes, mirrors, books and cards.

Work for exhibitions involves a personal element along with references to the overlapping myths, symbolism and expressionism of several cultures, such as Viking, Australian Aboriginal, Native North American, Incan, Mayan and recent North European.

Work to commission is carried out after close consultation with the client and has resulted in national prize winning pieces.

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