"The Night Before the Flight" Solo show at Bookartbookshop summer 2006

I developed an interest in making books from an early age, enjoying the intimacy and physicality that the tangible form of the book offers. As well as being an object that can be held, engaged with and manipulated, the book represents a ‘journey’ or narrative. The book as an object offers something to the individual besides its simple material form; like many objects the book holds a powerful interest, which is both part of, and separate from, its physicality.


Drawing book detail jessie chorley 1986 age 6

My actual artistic practice reflects the status of the book as both a simple material form, and an object with a story of its own. I constantly collect ideas (fragments of narrative) in my sketchbook, combining drawing, embroidery and collage. In this way my sketchbook holds the same properties as the books that inspire my work. The idea for my ‘Journals’ has evolved from this, as I create works that are both functional, and beautiful as objects. Each journal is made individually by hand, inside the cover of an old book, which I add pages and envelopes to, in order make a new book (or ‘Journal’).

I use a combination of both autobiographical and fictional events alongside the everyday experience to create my small 3D worlds, that are based in and around the form of the book. I don’t necessarily always start with a fixed story to tell but, rather, once involved process of creating a work, my story evolves and change’s. Surroundings, places, times and memories of both past and present are key factors in the creative.

Living in the heart of East London, the street markets on a Sunday are a huge part of life and a huge inspiration to me. The act of walking through these street markets evokes narratives as I develop pieces from traces of events, and fragments experienced as I glimpse objects and experiences. I am particularly interested in objects that are discarded; other peoples waste can be made anew into a new object that carries a trace of its former existence in its new form.



My techniques vary a lot from piece to piece: I like the idea that as I am constantly using different materials my techniques and approach to my materials are always evolving.

I am fascinated at the results I gain by the simple placing of harsher materials such as wire or found objects next to the beautiful tactile qualities of a piece of silk or velvet. This process gives the work a dramatic tension that evolves between the materials as an unexpected narrative starts to evolve.


Hand embroidered story book "detail" 2007

Drawing is the basis and underpinning of my process, and I use this medium widely, exploring a number of techniques.

Firstly, I use a black pen or Indian ink followed by appliqué and collage. I use glue and embroidery to secure objects, whilst wire is incorporated in order to give dimension to the original drawing, as the line protrudes from the page, out of the book, and into the surrounding space.

I use the simplest stitches available to me, as I like to keep the line within the drawing continuous and never ending, thus demonstrating the passing of time and evoking the narrative form of story telling.



Journals 2007



Journal Detail 2007



Throught The Window 2006