Graduating from Manchester Metropolitan with a Degree in Contemporary Craft I now work from home as an artist and craftsperson. My work is completely inspired by the creatures of Northern Ireland, the spectacular wildlife with which we share our countryside, the beloved pets which reside with us in our homes and the fundamental farm animals which sustain our very existence
Such specimens, brimming with life and character are the focus of my work and in an attempt to capture this character and pay tribute to this fascination of mine I prominently use embroidery; the line of stitch portrays the movement and life of my subject matter, with a splash of colour adding depth.
The majority of my work is stitched onto felt; this process is completely organic and is one which fascinates me. I hand make my own material from sheep's fleece. Having been sheered from the sheep, cleaned and processed this beautiful organic material restarts its new life in my hands as silky white wool fibres complete with that very 'organic' smell sheep farmers will recognise too well. The felting then begins; it is a strangely therapeutic yet admittedly laborious method. The wool fibres are layered, drizzled with soap and warm water and through an accumulation of plenty of elbow grease, friction, heat from the warm water and soap the wool fibres begin to matt together forming a sturdy and unique material, known as felt. After the felt is dried I then stitch into my handmade background by free-machine embroidery. I love the freedom in working this way, from the first stitch I am led by the sewing machine and the material. I 'sketch' by eye; the needle is my pen, the thread my ink, the felt my paper. I allow the line to flow endlessly along the curves and contours of the subject matter. The finished piece is a complementary balance of simplicity and purity met with a flirtatious splash of colour.
If anyone is interested in ordering my work or browsing, I can be contacted directly or I am available at various craft fairs/events. Regular updates on where I will be are posted on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AndreaMcneillCraft
I have a stall at St George's Market Saturday and Sundays as regularly as I can, keep an eye on Facebook for details. I make bespoke crafts perfect for households with an interest in handmade craft, wildlife or furnishings. I also can be commissioned