Dionne Swift

Dionne Swift - Textile Artist

I studied Embroidery at Goldsmiths College, followed by a Masters at the University of Central England. I aim to translate my vision of the world into cloth by printing, dying and stitching at my Yorkshire based studio.

Supported by a collection of teaching qualifications, I have lectured at Higher Education level for over 20 years and continue to offer a selection of creative workshops both in the UK and abroad.

In the open-ness and tranquillity of the landscape, I find calm and inspiration. The open aspect is fresh and up lifting. The immense scale of the moors and valleys in Yorkshire constantly overwhelm me with their magnificence. I am intrigued by the intimacy of the sky and land with their ever-changing roles of solidity and translucency.

I use devoré processes on velvet to explore the changing structural qualities in the landscape.

I dye and hand paint the cloth, I over paint and employ dye reduction techniques to develop visual layers and the notion of depth

I aim to allow the processes selected to add to the development of the work. The techniques used are as important as the imagery depicted.

The devoré process was developed on C17th France as a means of creating a poor man’s lace. Devoré – to devour – to eat away/to burn out. The fabric I use is a combination of silk and viscose, the devoré process removes the viscose pile.

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This artist is awesome. 

I have found a video of her demonstrating the technique.

Using Puff, Flock and Metallic Binder

Flock: This technique is by putting glue on the fabric by using the screen then using a flocked fabric putting it on the glue ironing it and the fibers are stuck to the glue to leave this effect.

Metallic: This is the same way of using metallic binder and then put metallic powder on the glue and iron it to leave this effect.

 Foil: This was the same technique as the flock gluing.

Foils for the transfer.

Washing Machine Felt Machine

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My mum had this book and thought it would be interesting to use, I haven't done washing machine felting and I haven't done felting with old jumpers. 

I was supposed to use a open top washing machine but only have this but it worked fine.

Sampling with Net

Here is piled up net and curved, look most like sheep wool. This would be very time consuming and doesn't look that like sheep skin.

The other side of that I have cut it to look like feathers. I don't think it has worked to well. The ends need shaping more.

Here is a close up of the above sample.

This is PVC fabric cut into feather shapes. I like this effect for a Macaw's tail but would need some sort of support.

It scrunched up together.

This a is foam packing material and didn't really look like anything maybe adding net could create something that looks like sheep skin.

Here I was trying to create an armadillo shell. The bottom of the example looked better I think. I'm going to try some more of these and see how I can get more of a shell.

A macaw tail example. I really like the simpleness of this.

A fur example, with colour this could be a fur for a llama or a red panda and maybe even a sheep.

Below is examples that didn't really work out.

Interesting Fabric Manipulation

Making a Screen