Textile Study Group

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Penny Burnfield

The Old Lie / His work is done by Penny Burnfield
His Work is Done, detail by Penny Burnfield
Terra Incognita, detail by Penny Burnfield
Terra Incognita by Penny Burnfield
Foxley 1 by Penny Burnfield Using the traces of ancient habitation found by excavation on a farm in Oxfordshire, this piece is entirely hand-stitched.
The Chalk Circle by Penny Burnfield Made for the ’10Days Chalk’ Festival at Winchester, this circle of quarried chalk is based on pre-historic earthworks found in Hampshire.
The Quintessential Chalk Stream by Penny Burnfield Constructed for the ’10 Days Chalk’, Winchester: a ‘fishing hut’ by the River Test. (In collaboration with Sue Wood and Wendy Couchman.)
Towers of Babel by Penny Burnfield Made for an exhibition in Japan, the ‘towers’ are covered with six international newspapers, all in different forms of writing.
Bedside Manner by Penny Burnfield Using an old medical textbook and some telephone wire, this piece reflects on my early training as a Doctor.
Dust to Dust by Penny Burnfield This piece uses the words from the monuments and gravestones in Winchester Cathedral, screen-printed onto silk organza.

Artist statement

Although I have a background in embroidery and textiles, my practice increasingly involves a variety of media.

My work derives from ideas, rather than the visual world. I seek to question, draw attention and subvert assumptions.

The challenge I set myself is to make ideas visible. The choice and appropriateness of the materials and processes that are employed in the making of each piece has become important to me.

My work is usually three-dimensional and often takes the form of an installation, large or small. Themes include many aspects of history – including museums, archives and collections – and it often includes the written word in some form. I enjoy making site-specific pieces.

As I look for ways of expressing my thoughts I find interesting connections – between my past and present work – process and materials – personal preoccupations. These connections enrich and add layers of meaning.

Information

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