Rosy Tydeman
Ever since sneaking upstairs at the age of three and cutting up my dad's beautiful paisley pajamas with an illicit pair of scissors, I have enjoyed playing with fabric.
I have worked as a teacher, shoemaker and theatrical gauntlet-maker, but I now use felting and applique techniques to create my work. Using colourful merino fleece, gorgeous printed fabrics and a bit of stuffing and wood here and there, I play mostly with stories of love and joy, while endeavouring to push the materials beyond the probable. If an apparently soft and squeezable clock can actually stand up, let alone tell the time, then I'm happy. I enjoy the contradiction for the eyes.
A lot of my work is autobiographical or made for individual commissions, but I hope the themes are universal. In a world where conflict and financial worry are very much in the news, I aim to redress the balance with a few smiles and reminders of life's simple treasures.
I am inspired by an exhilarating enjoyment of the ordinary and everyday moments of life. Among my favourite things are walking in buttercup meadows and on windy cliff tops watching birds flying freely above my head. It's great to be alive!
