The Art and Embroidery of Jane Hall

The Art and Embroidery of Jane Hall is a hybrid book. It is a book about art, nature, embroidery and it is written poetically, almost meditatively. Jane Hall is a minute examiner of nature and she photographs and sketches flowers, moths, butterflies, shells, all manner of treasure and then reproduces them in the most magical detail. The book is packed full of inspiring images and one has to look and look again to check whether an image is a photo of the ‘real thing’ or has been recreated in tiny snippets of silk, wire and golden thread by Jane herself. Jane makes no secret that her childhood was spent making tea parties for birds and fairies and there is still something quite magical about her work. This is not an instructional text book showing how to recreate Jane’s pieces. I’m not sure that would be possible, but it does encourage one to look very closely at the small magical treasures of nature that can be picked up yards from the front door. Many textile artist work on grand scales and themes creating impressive series of work which are challenging in no uncertain terms, this book is an escape into the minute but I do think that there is a challenge here also to look closer and see more.

I took this book to the last embroiderers guild meeting where it was passed around with much interest. I had asked people to put their names down to go into the hat to have this book when I had finished writing this post.....the list was very long!!

The family computer is waiting to be collected after it's spruce up so I am cheekily snatching moments on Simon's lap top. I'm sorry if I am not managing to reply to everyone or visit you all as much as I would have liked. xx