The Sewing Basket Original by Vivien Willatt

Arteza and Albrecht Durer Watercolour Pencils and Indian ink, on 250mg mixed media paper.
30cm x 30cm
 
My Grandmother was a seamstress, and spent her life stitching, even when her fingers became gnarled with arthritis. As a child, I used to love rummaging in her sewing box for snippets of lace and ribbon which she would sew onto the little dresses she made for my dollies. Sometimes, when she was mending, she would ask me to count out some shirt buttons from the button tin - but I would always be distracted by the odd pretty button. A mother of pearl button was a real find, and I would lose myself in it's ethereal shimmery colours, until I was called back to the more mundane task at hand. When I discovered this mother of pearl Button in my challenge pack, I was overcome with memories, transporting me back to those precious carefree days.
 
 
I think the creative process is as important, if sometimes not more important, than the end result. I enjoy experimenting with many different creative media, often combining them in non -traditional ways, ranging from acrylics and water colour pencils, through to Indian ink, alcohol ink pens and metallics. I also do 3D crafts and large scale murals.
I am fascinated by pattern and colour, and find great inspiration in the natural world. I often work from my own photographs, experimenting with increasing colour saturation, to reveal hidden fluorescence and tones. I then try to capture these in my artworks. As part of my neuro-divergence, I also have chromesthesia; a form of synesthesia where you hear and see musical notes in colour, which is becoming a large part of my artistic practice.