Fiona’s love and interest in textiles and print stems from attending several higher education courses at Amersham & Wycombe College in the late 90s. During her time there, Fiona learnt and experimented with screen printing, litho printing, block printing, machine embroidery, dressmaking and fashion. She gained 2 GNVQs in Art, an HND in Graphic Design and a degree in Applied Graphic Studies during her 5 years at the college.
Unfortunately after graduation, Fiona’s creativity had to sit on the back burner for a while, whilst she worked in Office Management and Logistics. Several years later, she finally started work with a local Graphic Design and Marketing company, and once again the creative juices began to flow. A one day felt making course at Queens Park Arts Centre in Aylesbury, grabbed Fiona’s imagination and creativity like nothing else, and she’s been totally addicted ever since!
Still a Graphic Designer by trade, Fiona loves the “hands on” approach to creating textile art, and in particular making felt.
Fiona indulges in the freedom and creativity that felt making gives, and the uncontrolled outcomes due to the friction applied to the fibres. Making felt by hand is physically demanding, meaning that a single piece can take 40 hours plus to complete.
Fiona spends much of her spare time planning and making felt artworks, felt beads (to be later used in jewellery and other accessories), flat felt decorations and purses. She hopes to extend her range to include clothing, pods (seamless felt vessels) and hats in the near future. Fiona also loves to knit and sew, and will one day incorporate all 3 techniques to produce upcycled items.
Fiona also creates limited edition lino prints, using the reduction method.
“It is wonderful to create a beautiful design only a few times, knowing that it can never be recreated the same again, almost like a withering flower that cannot be revived”.
These prints are also available to purchase in the gallery.
Fiona sees her love of creative art and craft as a kind of journey, as she is constantly learning new or improved techniques, which she writes about on her blog. To find out more about Fiona, and to follow her on her creative journey, you can find her by clicking on the social media links above her photo, or by clicking below:
Fiona runs felt making workshops from Gallery Thirty One most evenings and some Sundays. See her website for more information
Danny has recently gained his Licenciateship distinction with the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS) and is currently working towards his Associateship (ARPS) distinction.
As a bespoke framer, Danny is working towards becoming a Guild Commended Framer (GCF) with the Fine Art Trade Guild. With the addition of a new printer to the gallery, he can also print his images to Fine Art Trade Guild Standards.
His enthusiasm for his photography has seen a major change in his professional career too, resulting in closing down his mobile phone business and turning the premises into Gallery Thirty One. It is here that Danny not only prints his limited editions, but frames them too.
His work is on display at Gallery Thirty One and available to buy from the online Shop.
Danny has recently gained his Licenciateship distinction with the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS) and is currently working towards his Associateship (ARPS) distinction.
As a bespoke framer, Danny is working towards becoming a Guild Commended Framer (GCF) with the Fine Art Trade Guild. With the addition of a new printer to the gallery, he can also print his images to Fine Art Trade Guild Standards.
His enthusiasm for his photography has seen a major change in his professional career too, resulting in closing down his mobile phone business and turning the premises into Gallery Thirty One. It is here that Danny not only prints his limited editions, but frames them too.
His work is on display at Gallery Thirty One and available to buy from the online Shop.
Fiona’s love and interest in textiles and print stems from attending several higher education courses at Amersham & Wycombe College in the late 90s. During her time there, Fiona learnt and experimented with screen printing, litho printing, block printing, machine embroidery, dressmaking and fashion. She gained 2 GNVQs in Art, an HND in Graphic Design and a degree in Applied Graphic Studies during her 5 years at the college.
Unfortunately after graduation, Fiona’s creativity had to sit on the back burner for a while, whilst she worked in Office Management and Logistics. Several years later, she finally started work with a local Graphic Design and Marketing company, and once again the creative juices began to flow. A one day felt making course at Queens Park Arts Centre in Aylesbury, grabbed Fiona’s imagination and creativity like nothing else, and she’s been totally addicted ever since!
Still a Graphic Designer by trade, Fiona loves the “hands on” approach to creating textile art, and in particular making felt.
Fiona indulges in the freedom and creativity that felt making gives, and the uncontrolled outcomes due to the friction applied to the fibres. Making felt by hand is physically demanding, meaning that a single piece can take 40 hours plus to complete.
Fiona spends much of her spare time planning and making felt artworks, felt beads (to be later used in jewellery and other accessories), flat felt decorations and purses. She hopes to extend her range to include clothing, pods (seamless felt vessels) and hats in the near future. Fiona also loves to knit and sew, and will one day incorporate all 3 techniques to produce upcycled items.
Fiona also creates limited edition lino prints, using the reduction method.
“It is wonderful to create a beautiful design only a few times, knowing that it can never be recreated the same again, almost like a withering flower that cannot be revived”.
These prints are also available to purchase in the gallery.
Fiona sees her love of creative art and craft as a kind of journey, as she is constantly learning new or improved techniques, which she writes about on her blog. To find out more about Fiona, and to follow her on her creative journey, you can find her by clicking on the social media links above her photo, or by clicking below:
Fiona runs felt making workshops from Gallery Thirty One most evenings and some Sundays. See her website for more information
However, after a long break, she found new inspiration to pick up her pencils again when her children were born.
“I was obsessed by my little boys face, I couldn’t get enough of it! So one day I picked up a biro and some plain print paper and started sketching him.”
She quickly found her stride again with graphite (an old friend) and began drawing regularly. Word got around quickly about Clare’s drawing ability and friends began to request pictures of their children. Very soon her portrait business Baby Face Art was born and has been growing ever since. In 2011, Clare decided to resign from her job as a District nurse and focus solely on Baby Face Art. It has steadily been gathering momentum and she has had commissions of people, children and pets from all over the world.
Not content with doing her portrait commissions, Clare was keen to expand her horizons and experiment with different mediums and surfaces. Whilst confident with graphite, pastel and coloured pencil, Clare has been experimenting with watercolour Gouache and acrylics also. She finds inspiration in the beauty and majesty in horses still to this day and they remain one of her favourite subjects. More recently birds of prey and African mammals have been muses.