I was born in Hong Kong where my family owned a small textile factory. After leaving school I studied graphic design and worked for a Hong Kong company designing gloves. During the same period I became skilled at dressmaking and pattern cutting.
In 1978 I came to England to study fine art. I gained my BA (Hons) from Kingston Polytechnic in 1982.
In 1986 I moved to Cornwall and much of my time after that was taken up by raising a family and helping my husband with his business. However, I always made time to continue exploring my craft using many different textile techniques.
Since 2005 I have had my own beautiful textile studio and have been able to devote much more time to my craft.
Making jewellery of various kinds has long been an obsession of mine and using fabric to create jewellery pieces is something I have been developing for many years.

Making my jewellery

Creating my fabrics is a never-ending process of discovery: the fabric grows and changes as semi-transparent layers are added and then parts are melted away to reveal the hidden colours beneath. As a child I was fascinated by the play of light on running water. I would spend hours watching how objects and surfaces were continually distorted, hidden and revealed beneath a shimmering surface.

Making the finished jewellery pieces is a search for fresh and surprising 3D forms that can be made from little bits of fabric. Forms for smaller pieces such as earrings often grow from playing around with simple shapes. The brooches tend to be much more complex and I often find inspiration in the world for these. It may never be apparent to an outside observer but many of my brooch forms have grown out of my experience of the rugged North Cornwall coast. Others come from a long-time love of studying plant forms.