ABOUT - STEPHANIE SMITH

For as far back as I can remember I have always been creative, there is not a time I can specifically remember where I haven’t been stitching, painting or never had a pencil in my hand.Being raised on the moors of England, nature and wildlife inspired a lot of what I was making as a young girl and eventually into adulthood, the moorlands, coast and woodlands of Yorkshire and now Devon have been a source of inspiration to me and filters into my chosen creative medium of Textiles.Within my passion, I studied historical sources of fashion and textiles at college which eventually led me into employment, working in theatre, film & television wardrobes over many years.Whilst working as a Costume Assistant for the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon, my role involved researching and selecting costumes for productions such as Ridley Scott’s ‘A Kingdom of Heaven’ and ‘Robin Hood’. I worked on a lot of historical productions, a favourite being David Starkey’s ‘Monarchy’ for Channel 4 where we studied portraits to help get the looks as historically accurate as possible.My love of heritage filters into my work as a textile artist, through the intricate patterns I have seen, left behind in history, leaving little memories in a painting, garment or even just a fragment of fabric for me to study and translate into my own designs.I love photography and I'm forever recording my findings of interesting colours and patterns on a woodland walk with the children or a detail of an elaborate furnishing found within a heritage collection.Being a Textile degree student has allowed me to be fully engaged within my own creative practice which is rooted in traditional techniques that, reflect my background of costume and love of historical textiles. However, I have wide experience beyond my own artistic practice which is the most important to me, that of being a parent. Coming home to my three children, two of whom have neurodiversity, gives me something to always look forward to, even if life may be rather demanding at times, my own creativity serves as a source of light.