What are you working on at the moment and where do you find ideas for your work?
Currently I am working on a new collection of unique screen-printed textile artworks, inspired by my photographs of architecture and industrial buildings. I love to work from my images in a very abstract way; extracting form, colour and composition to create the textile prints.
What medium do you use in your practice and why?
Screen-printing onto natural textile qualities such as cotton, silk, wool, bamboo and linen mixes. Every process is carried out by hand; from hand-dyeing the cloth to pulling the squeegee and ink through the screen.
What motivates you to make work, who do you believe has influenced your career and inspired you to start?
My main influence on my work is my late mother, the painter Anne Howard. We would spend days walking on the South Downs photographing, drawing and naming flowers and wildlife. Immersed in nature, sketchbooks in hand, my mum would teach us how to draw the landscape around us – taking in line, form and perspective. She lives on through my connection to creativity.
What is your favourite piece of work you have created, and why?
I have one piece from my BA textile design degree at UCA Farnham that has to be my absolute favourite! The piece is called Constructivist and the dyes reacted to one another unexpectedly to create a beautiful gradient of golden tones which was incredibly effective.
What is your proudest achievement?
Being chosen to take part in Texprint in 2012, after graduating from UCA Farnham. The panel of judges interviewed more than 200 UK textile graduates before selecting just 24 to exhibit in London and Paris – an invaluable creative and networking opportunity.
What is the most indispensable item or tool in your studio?
My squeegees… I would be lost without them!
Where is your favourite place to see art / craft?
I love going to exhibitions and galleries. I could name so many but love spending a day in London or going to the Towner Gallery, the De la Warr, Hastings Contemporary and, of course, the New Ashgate Gallery and Crafts Study Centre in Farnham.
Why Farnham as a place to practise your art / craft? What is it about being part of the town that is special?
I have a close connection to Farnham having lived and studied within the town, and enjoy being in a bustling creative environment with access to Craft and Textile archives.
Can you share a craft ‘secret’ or your favourite hidden craft thing / space / memory?
One of my favourite ‘hidden craft things’ is often something that can be overlooked in the process of making, or perhaps is seen as a ‘by-product’ of the making process. In textile screen- printing this is often the backing cloth where I often find really interesting sections of pattern from different prints I have made in the past.
Being part of a community of makers is…
…wonderful. We are always learning and to be able to share ideas and work collaboratively with makers from different fields of craft and design is fantastic.
Maker film
Watch Alice at work.
