#eco-dyed

Here’s a big stack of handmade books on my desk in my (very neglected) studio. Painted, eco-dyed, printed and stitched...the possibilities are endless. And I promise that once you’ve worked in a one-of-a-kind, handmade book you’ll never want to go back to a bog standard one from W H Smith. I promise.

Rusted - Ann Stephens

Since an early age I have always been fascinated in making and assembling artistic pieces. I completed a fine art degree (painting and print making) at Winchester college of art. For many years, whilst bringing up a family, I worked in various artistic fields – as an art tutor in adult education classes, and in initiating and managing large public art projects within the NHS and schools.

In recent years I held the position of head of art at a rural Welsh school and was also an art moderator for the OCR examination board. I have exhibited work in various exhibitions in the UK, but it is only since moving to France, where I live now, that I have had the time to explore in depth, my own love of colour, texture and thread.

Over the past three years my work had evolved from the painted surface to an interest in fibres, threads, fabrics and natural dyes. I have divided my work into four categories: eco dyed, embellishing, rusting and miscellaneous.