Exhibition celebrates textile creativity
THE ArtHouse in Southport will celebrate the decorative work of textile designer/ maker Mandy Bevington, who primarily works with wool and yarn.
Working with both traditional and contemporary techniques, Mandy’s highly distinctive artwork stems back to her early childhood.
She said: “I love to create a pattern that is textural, tactile and visually exciting through all aspect of my textile work.
“I have always been creative, as a young child, you would always find me drawing.
“After raising my children, I had this ‘need’ to use my creativeness further.
“I pushed myself and enrolled back to Southport College and took a foundation course that enabled me to enrol at University of Central Lancashire to take a textile degree.”
Mandy graduated from UCLAN last autumn but like most universities had Covid to contend with.
She added: “During the pandemic, as universities moved to online teaching, I was able to buy my own tufting gun and frame.
“So my whole degree collection was actually made at home in my studio using my rug tufting gun.
“I always start with drawing, be that with a pencil or drawing digitally. Then I paint or collage before moving on to the textural pieces, be that either punch needle or using the tufting gun.
“Wall hangings, framed tufted pieces, tufted cushions and rugs, are just some of the pieces I can make with my tufting gun.”
Mandy’s exhibition will be on display at the gallery on Eastbank Street until May 28, opening Tuesday to Friday, from 10am till 3pm, and Saturday 11am till 4pm.
There are facemasks and hand sanitisers available should visitors wish to use them.