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My fascination with the East stems from being a child growing up in the North of England where I had the good fortune to be surrounded by a multi-cultural society. I remember the excitement when there was a knock at the door and there stood an Indian gentleman wearing a smart suit and what I thought then to be an extremely exotic turban. It was like having Mary Poppins at your doorstep, as an endless stream of goodies came out of the case: cravats, brass ornaments, carvings and lavender polish were just a few of the many items for sale. I was given a cowrie shell while my Mum looked through the wares. If she did buy something I was given a lucky bean, a small red bean which was home to an intricately carved elephant. Later, shops opened, some selling saris, fabrics and jewellery and others selling foods and spices. Exotic clothes were imported for those of us with cool 'hippie' tendencies, not just from India. Embroidered dresses and coats came from Afghanistan and were so inspiring, I would buy printed fabrics and hand-embroider them to make my own clothes; life was so colourful. |
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At the tender age of 14 I got my first taste for travel. My brother Richard and I went by train from Preston to Nîmes. I remember the thrilling anticipation which consisted of a whole week of sleepless nights conjuring up dreams and fantasies of what lay ahead. Of course, the dreams were not a patch on the real thing. Travelling down to Nîmes to see the amphitheatre and the viaducts of Provence initiated my interest in architecture. Four years later, I hitched around Europe and Morocco with a friend. Visiting Morocco was like stepping into another world - one that was soul-stirring. Little did I know at the time just how often I would return or how it would be one of the main sources of inspiration for my work. |
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A few years later I moved to Brighton to study at the Art College, where I was welcomed by the sumptuous opulence of the Royal Pavilion. Through this I created a collection of prints and wallhangings which were based upon the North Gate entrance to the Royal Pavilion and the wrought iron work around Brighton. |
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North Gate Entrance II (155K) was formed to create the feeling of an ancient tapestry. Days flew by as I dyed the fabrics and worked into them. Obviously the colours were extremely important; the spectator has to feel both the exotic splendour of the Royal Pavilion with its verdigris domes and the solidity of the wrought iron work. Layer upon layer of fabric was used for the centre panel combined with appliqué, reverse appliqué, hand and machine embroidery and various print techniques. The background of the panel was embellished with fine vermicelli stitches. The borders were given their solidity with Italian quilting. To make the iron work stand out, I machine embroidered into them and around the outer edges with free embroidery stitches. |
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In 1992 I returned to Morocco. Based in Tangier, I travelled by train. Travelling by train for me is quite magical - if you're not in love with life when you set off, you certainly are when you arrive. The train slowly rocks you into a hypnotic state of euphoria where everything is beautiful. Cool and colourful had changed to euphoric, and I stand to challenge anyone who does not get this feeling when visiting Chouan. I was there at the end of October, when there was a tingling chill in the air. The buildings are painted white pigment. It was like walking into an ice sculpture. The bases of the buildings were a wonderful cobalt blue. As I looked down on the alleyways the pools of blue danced and sang a soul-uplifting song. As the evening closed in, the cobalts darkened and the aquas brightened. |
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The spiritual and emotional feeling of the place made me challenge my inner self, stirring up lots of thought about myself and my work. In Chouan III (99K), the structure of my work changed and I started to use different materials - Moroccan pigments, handmade papers and embroidery - to capture the spirit of Chouan. I wanted the spectator to experience that same tingling sensation as I had, when those shades of blue danced for me. |
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Twilight in Tetouan IV (104K) shows a definite change. Whilst the work is of the same subject matter, a different concept is introduced. A more structured form is now evident. The influence here is of the changing light which was bouncing off the doorways in the mysterious medina, where people were dashing around buying and selling everything from coriander to carpets. Even with all the hustle and bustle, the doorways still shone like jewels. Handmade papers, pigments and gold leaf were used in the preparation of the papers, and machine embroidery was introduced. I then started to work back into them to create the ambience of 'Twilight in Tetouan'. |
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A strong element of the formal structure of Islamic architecture is evident in Tiznit 86K or 147K, and I spent more time studying the plans and layout of the buildings to capture the spirit of the East. Colour is a strong element as always; the gold leaf and embroidery are still strong features. |
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As with the earlier wallhangings, where the borders were an integral part of my work, that also applies to the framing. I believe that the frame is a crucial part of the work (see East of Essaovira No. 3 (140K)), something that is a continuation rather than something that is obscure, that screams around the edge. Aesthetics are important and I believe the strong architectural concept should follow throughout my work as a whole in the interpretation. |
This article is from The World of Embroidery, Volume 49 No.1, © Penelope Devonshire 1998. Photos by Nick Carter.
highlights from January 1998 issue