Alison Belding

I have always been interested in textiles and fabric manipulation, and attended Cumbria College of Art and Design in the 1980s. A keen dressmaker, I began making wedding dresses and then stage costumes for a local drama group. Ecclesiastical garments were an interesting progression, together with my first fabric artwork, a collaboration with a friend "The Baptism of Christ " which is currently displayed in St. Saviour's Church in St Albans.

My textile art incorporates a variety of techniques including applique, beading, quilting, and free motion machine embroidery. I use wet felting and needle felting with beading and hand embroidery to produce my felted fibre pictures.

Although my interests lie primarily in textiles, I have recently expanded my repertoire to include photography and water colours.

Whichever medium I use, I believe that my love of bold colours and metallic threads help bring my pictures to life. Having been brought up by the coast, vivid sparkling water and nature's creatures frequently feature in my art.