I predominantly work in wool, linen, alpaca and cotton yarns. When working with wool, I often begin by creating my own, unique yarns: this process sees me spinning fleece on a spinning wheel and experimenting with colour and texture combinations until I achieve whatever I’m seeking in a finished yarn. I then weave my yarns (on 4-shaft and 8-shaft looms) into one-off designs.
Just as a painter draws upon other painters’ techniques, I use established weaving techniques when creating my original pieces – each of which is typically inspired by the natural world surrounding me. More recently, I’ve also begun hand-weaving local flax, utilising traditional Maori methods.