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I am a artist who uses fabric and textiles to express myself. From a young child I have enjoyed the feeling of fabric, the way it moves and how it can be manipulated. I love working with fabric and fibres, it is the tactile nature of textiles that appeals to me. Quilting has to be touched and felt to be appreciated and to be understood. One of the nicest things I get asked is "can I touch your art?"
I believe play is fundamental in learning to work with any medium. I experiment and play with fabric in many different ways from surface design through to raw edge applique and felting.
I draw much of my inspiration from the beauty in the world we live in. In a world where there is much negativity and unrest I want my work to bring tranquility through the nature that is around us. I feel that art should be something that enhances our life and uplifts our mood and evokes joy in out hearts.
Art is an expression of who I am inside and the feelings I have about life.
Biography
Catherine Parkinson has been working with fabric since she did her first piece of work for a school assignment at the age of 15. She seriously started pursuing fabric art though after a long illness. She says fabric art gave her a new passion in life and gave her a way to express her zest for life. Catherine's award winning fabric art pieces are a reflection of her skill in producing a high standard work.
One of her other joys in life is teaching others, she loves teaching all ages. She is a trained teacher, with an excellent teaching style which all ages respond to well, as she has proved though her successful classes she has taken in fabric art. She loves to share the knowledge of her art with all those who want to learn. Photography also really appeals to her artistic eye. Capturing beauty around her through a lens gives her a lot of satisfaction. Her skill in taking photos is shown in her work.
Catherine emigrated to New Zealand from Lancashire, England in her early childhood. The natural beauty of New Zealand has influenced much of her work. She is mainly self taught, through literature, though attends classes when the opportunities arise. She began her city and guilds qualifications which has seen much more experimentation in her work. Catherine, her husband and 5 children and her many pets reside on a rural property in Te Awamutu. A beautiful provincial New Zealand town just south of Hamilton.
