BIOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Belinda was born in 1962 and studied textiles at Loughborough College of Art and Design specialising in embroidery. She had a number of jobs including antique textile repair and costume designer before becoming a freelance illustrator and embroiderer. She now concentrates her time on children's book illustration, commissioned embroideries and paintings for private and public collections as well as doing commercial art work. She has won a number of grants and awards including a British Council Grant to travel and teach embroidery in Australia in 1995. Her work has been exhibited around the world since 1985, including numerous exhibitions in the U.K., Germany, U.S.A. and Japan. Her commissions have included work for David & Charles publishers, Allied Lyons Pension Company, Embroiderers Guild of Great Britain, Two Bad Mice cards, Portico Designs, English Country Pottery and many others. Her work has featured in many magazines including Embroidery Magazine, Textilforum Magazine (Germany), Pins and Needles Magazine, Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Needlecraft Magazine, The World of Embroidery, Country Craft (Japan), Homes and Antiques Magazine, Bien Fait (Japanese needle craft magazine).

She works from a studio space in Bristol. "I have drawers and cupboards full of fabrics, threads, wools, paint, paper and everything I need to help me design and make embroidered collages. Friends give me fabrics and beautiful clothes they no longer want and I save them until I see an opportunity to use them in my work." She likes to combine fabric painting with embroidered detail and although she calls her work fabric collage the traditional term would be appliqué. From an early age she wanted to illustrate, but didn't expect she would achieve this ambition through the medium of embroidery. The process can be a lengthy one. It can take one or even two years to complete a book project. She sketches her designs on paper first, then paints them onto fabric, cuts them out, appliqué and then embellishes them with stitch.

Although she finds it difficult to combine her work with the demands of a young family, she says that, "producing pictures isn't just a job, but a passion! I have enjoyed all my projects during the last 15 years - designing embroidery kits, greeting cards, china and illustrating children's books. I look forward to completing my sixth book (for children) this summer and working towards several exhibitions."

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