Growing Under One Sky

I’m please to share that ‘Summer ’76‘ has been selected for the ArtCan ‘Growing Under One Sky’ exhibition, part of the “Creative Climate Fest” at Scolton Manor, Bethlehem, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA62 5QL from July 5 – August 31, 2025.

Summer '76 - part of the ArtCan 'Growing Under One Sky exhibition
Summer ’76 – part of the ArtCan ‘Growing Under One Sky exhibition

“We strive to grow, judging progress, ambition and success by the increase of productivity and output. However, we have reached a stage where year on year economic growth as it stands, is beginning to suffocate us under unmanageable quantities of waste and residue. Our obsession with growth has also given us climate change, and an increase in weather anomalies…..We need to grow better habits and reconnect with our own importance. Every choice we make locally, has an impact globally. We cannot exist as individuals, as everything we do inextricably links us to people and the environment anywhere in the world. Water we pollute here, will affect the health of fish that migrate to other parts of the world. How we shop influences livelihoods and people we will never even meet…..Growing Under One Sky asks artists to examine what the act of growing means within this context. ” ~ ArtCan curators.

Thank you to the following curators for selecting my work for exhibition.

“ArtCan Green Team – Lawrence Mathias, Catherine Fenton, Hannah Pratt, Cat Coulter, Elly Platt, curating Growing Under One Sky is part of our Green Team commitment to bring opportunities to like minded artists, offering a platform to express their voices regarding environmental issues and solutions.” ~ ArtCan.

Love is RED

Lancashire Courting Cake is part of the One Red Thread 2025 ‘Love is RED’ exhibition in Australia curated by Textile Fest

Close up of the hand embroidered Lancashire Courting Cake - part of the Love is RED exhibition
Hand embroidery detail – Lancashire Courting Cake

This touring exhibition will be visiting Sidney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The exhibition’s first stop is at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair, ICC Sydney Darling Harbour, Australia, June 26 – 29, 2025.

Update September 2025:

The next stop of the tour takes place at the Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Victoria, Australia.
September 3 to 6, 2025

Update October 2025:

The next stop on the tour will be at the Brisbane Craft & Quilt Fair at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre, Merivale St, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. October 15 to 18, 2025

Lancashire Courting Cake

Making Lancashire Courting Cake

Lancashire Courting Cake is my latest work all about my love of food. The hand embroidery centres around a delicious strawberry cake recipe and a nostalgic Lancashire tradition started in the early 1920’s.

Lancashire Courting Cake
Lancashire Courting Cake

Lancashire Courting Cake

This cake is a romantic expression of love dating back to the summers of the 1920s. Its backstory is rooted in the north of England and centred around young love, warm summers and an abundance of ripe red strawberries.

Close up of the hand embroidered Lancashire Courting Cake
Hand embroidery detail

As part of a courtship, women would make the cake for their betrothed or for a man they had a crush on as a gesture of love, and also to show off her baking skills. 

Prior to their wedding, Prince William and Kate Middleton tasted one on their visit to Lancashire in 2011. 

The cake also made an appearance on The Great British Bake Off in 2013.

Colours and threads used in Lancashire courting cake
Colours and threads

Hand embroidered with Vintage Sylko thread onto cotton cloth.   Size 23 x 11cm

This piece forms part of a body of work celebrating Lancashire food.

Update

This piece of embroidery is part of the One Red Thread 2025 ‘Love is RED’ exhibition in Australia curated by Textile Fest. It’s first stop touring Australia will be at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair, ICC Sydney Darling Harbour, Australia, June 26 – 29, 2025.

Update

My embroidery is on the next stop touring Australia. The exhibition will be on show at the Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Victoria, Australia, September 3 to 6, 2025.