Description
This textile landscape depicts the celebrated Breaky Bottom Vineyard / Winery in Summer near Rodmell in East Sussex. The plants and trees depicted are vine, hawthorn and scarlet pimpernel. The construction methods (i.e. the types of sewing / stitching techniques that were used) are beading (using glass and metallic beads), stitching (stab stitch, dab stitch, tent stitch, running stitch), wrapping (using a wire skeleton as a base to wrap cotton, wool and fabric), appliqué (sewn layered fabric), tatting (thread, wrapped around, twisted or knotted), fabric (linen, hessian, cotton, muslin, satin, wool, calico and leather). I am a purest and never use glue or a sewing machine. This textile landscape image took approximately 8 weeks to complete and comes framed, as seen in the image above. The dimensions are as follows: Height 74cm, Width 55.5cm, Depth 9cm.
Breaky Bottom Vineyard in East Sussex
From the Breaky Bottom Winery Website (2013): Peter Hall planted his vineyard at Breaky Bottom in 1974 at a time when there were only a dozen or so growers in the whole country. He had come to realise that there was a good potential for grape growing and winemaking in the UK where the climate is very similar to that of the near continent (The Loire, Champagne and much of Germany). Modern plant breeding and selection meant that early ripening varieties were becoming available and the demand for clean, elegant cool-climate wines was growing. Peter had other links with good wine and food which encouraged him to take the undoubted risk of making wine in the UK. He has a French mother who is a fine cook and his grandfather had been a famous restaurateur with a fabulous cellar. Wine had always been part of family life.
Seyval Blanc is the main grape variety grown at Breaky Bottom. Peter says that it makes the clean Loire-style wines for which he has become well known. It is fairly neutral in character with a keen acidity but when bottled fully dry and left to mature it develops a wonderful depth and complexity. His Seyval Blanc 1990 won a GOLD MEDAL in the International Wine Challenge in 1993. It is also the variety with which he makes his amazing Méthode Champenoise Sparkling Brut, first launched with the 1994 vintage. A small portion of the vineyard is planted with Muller Thurgau. This variety is a Riesling / Sylvaner cross and when bottled dry and aged produces a fine perfumed Alsace-style wine. Peter was also able to make a delicious Late Harvest wine with Muller Thurgau in 1995 when the conditions were perfect for the development of “Noble Rot”.
Textile Landscapes of The South Downs National Park
Since childhood, I have been inspired by the changing moods of South Downs, and fascinated by the diverse range of flora and fauna which thrive here (including rare birds, snakes and lizards, butterflies and grasshoppers, and many species of fragile native plants). To my delight, on the 12th of November 2009, Hilary Benn (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) announced that the South Downs has received National Park status, and confirmed its boundary. The South Downs National Park officially came into being on the 31st of March 2010. My project, ‘Textile Landscapes of The South Downs National Park’, is a celebration of this important event.
Professionally Framed Unique Artwork
All of the textile artwork / creative hand embroidery on this website is sold professionally framed by the fantastic Brighton based framers, Leo Frames. The exceptionally high quality frames that you see in the photographs are all hand made from wood by a master craftsperson. The price of each piece of work already includes the price of the frame, so there are no hidden extras when you purchase from me. If you purchase one of my artworks, please treat it with care and try to avoid hanging it in direct sunlight as this may cause discolouration over time.
Perfect Gifts for Special Occasions
Due to the hand made nature of the work that I produce and the subject matter depicted in my work, these one-off artworks make excellent and unique gifts for nature lovers and anyone who appreciates the beauty of the natural world. In the past, I have been commissioned to make unique pieces for special occasions, including birthdays, wedding anniversaries, christenings and Christmas presents, so please get in touch if this is something that interests you.
