Look closely: the pictures you see before you aren’t of mushrooms, moss or discarded pieces of wood. Rather they are delicate sculptures made of stitch, papier mache, and pyrography.
Created by award-winning textile artist Amanda Cobbett, each unique piece is displayed in a contemporary form of the Victorian display case, allowing the work to be wall-hung and viewed from all angles or simply be cherished.
“I have always loved textiles,” she told Textile Artist. “I was encouraged to sew and make stuff on a machine from a very young age. I also made paper structures, and I have always explored everything with my hands.”
According to Cobbett, her passion for textiles developed at an early age while watching her mother and grandmothers, all gifted seamstresses. Her Father a draughtsman, and grandfather, a talented engineer, also played a part with their ability to visualize in 3D, and to turn a sketch into an object.
Inspired by nature in all its forms, her 3-dimensional, papier mache, and machine-embroidered sculptures are created from her studio in the Surrey Hills. Machining approximately 130,000 individual stitches a day, her creations highlight the beauty and diversity that exists in the undergrowth.
“My need to physically make has always been with me, and now my work fulfills all those desires,” she concluded. Take a look at some of her breathtaking pieces.
