Maeve Hunter

Artists StatementI am a textile artist and I am experimenting at present with recycled and sustainable fabric in my work. My inspiration comes from my travels. I want to continue to experiment with different ways of printing, drawing and stitching on fabric and transforming this into three dimensional objects. I love using teabags because they are already dyed and I enjoy the way the wax changes their surface. I was in India in February on a textile residency and began to paint with thread. I really enjoyed this and intend to experiment more. I want to document both my life and others who need to be represented with this work.Textiles are my preferred medium because of their adaptability and tactile quality. Textiles give me the flexibility to incorporate lots of other mediums in my work. I also do watercolour painting and enjoy the delicacy and translucency of the paint. I now have limited edition prints of these. Facilitating workshops and inspiring others to create is another part of my practice.

Q&A

What craft do you work with?

Textiles and water colour painting. I studied textile design in NCAD and have a BDes in Textile Design. I have been creating for over 30 years. In textiles I love dyeing and experimenting. I try to use recycled materials where possible.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I am passionate about creating, If a day goes by where I don’t paint or create I feel tense and incomplete. I love using natural materials and teabags in texiles. In painting I love how you can use watercolours anywhere and painting with them evokes a sense of the place and that is important to me.

How do you start your creative process?

Sometimes starting is the most difficult ! Unless I am doing a particular project, but once I start I allow the materials to dictate the journey and each material shows me the way.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

My workspace is small and probably a bit untidy. I could not live without my sketchbooks and my watercolours and my silk fabrics

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I would like to experiment more with 3d textiles especially felt.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

I would say never give up we all have good days and bad days. Make for yourself and hopefully recognition will follow . Don’t compare your work to others.