The slow and methodical stab and pull of a needle creates a bond with a subject matter, a close understanding and respect that can develop into love.

I am a self-taught hand embroidery artist specializing in fine silk shading, sometimes known as needlepainting or thread painting. My work focuses on the small, often overlooked aspects of nature and aims to educate through art and tutorials. After winning Needlecrafter of the year in 2018 with my seven-spot ladybird I was inspired to write my book 'Needlepainted Plants and Pollinators: an insect lover's guide to silk shading embroidery', published by Search Press. The aim of the book was to highlight the plight of pollinators other than honeybees, if a person spends long enough stitching the curves of a wasp's body a respect can develop. 

Each piece of art is stitched using fine silk floss thread and size 12 embroidery needles. The detailed nature of my work means that each piece can take weeks, sometimes months to create and is a labour of love.