©Annabel Rainbow
About Annabel
Speaking with stitch, paint, and print.
My art quilts are not really decorative pieces – they are narratives stitched into fabric, each one telling a story that reflects broader social themes. I aim to draw on the long history of textile arts, often associated with women’s work, to reveal ideas relating to gender, work, inequality, female oppression, and prejudice in all forms to all people.
My creative process is both meditative and methodical. It begins with extensive research and sketching, working through ideas until they are fully formed. This phase involves delving into the themes I want to explore, gathering inspiration from various sources, and translating these ideas into preliminary sketches. Following this, I select fabrics and threads that will bring the piece to life.
I not only incorporate recycled materials but also dye and print my own fabrics, trying to infuse the story into the many layers by using fabric applique. This adds depth and texture to my quilts, and adds to the narrative.
I find the sewing itself a contemplative act, and each stitch becomes a deliberate choice adding to the theme with text and texture. The painting further adds reality with tone and depth; creating the personality of each piece by producing an artwork that engages on different levels.
In addition to my solo projects, I’ve exhibited widely in the UK, the USA, and Australia. I have had the honour of exhibiting alongside Tracey Emin in London and have won open competitions and visitors choice awards in various places, including Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum and Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Museum and have even painted ‘live’ at an event at the NEC.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue expanding the reach of my art quilts, both geographically and thematically. I hope to bring my work to a broader audience, challenging perceptions and trying to inspire through the powerful mediums of paint, fabric, and thread. I hope my future work will address a wider range of social issues and reach new audiences, creating a platform for dialogue and reflection, perhaps pushing the boundaries art quilting.
I hope to continue evolving as an artist and explore new techniques and ideas, recording the times I live in and the people that surround me.
