Textile artist extraordinaire Sue Bowhay Pringle is showing her incredible work at Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery in Alnwick from October onwards.

Most of the pieces in Sue Bowhay Pringle’s new show are abstract but look closely and you can sometimes find small creatures embroidered into them. Symbolic little souls they can express a sense of adaptation or longevity. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes and natural forms of Northumberland and Umbria Italy, as well as architectural and literary references, the work explores the themes of change, memory, adjustment, scarring and repair. The textiles used in the construction are natural fibres of silk, linen, cotton, jute and hemp – with marino wool for quilting. Most of the fabrics are old, often recycled, and the signs of ageing and wear are integral to the work. The gentle modulation of light and shade is created by manipulating the fabric with stitching and with quilting, using the method trapunto Fiorentino. Each piece is entirely hand stitched, since the tactile relationship with the fabric, and the slow process of change as stitches and layers of fabric are applied, or cut away, reflects the meditative and introspective nature of the work.

A Sleave Unravelled: Sue Bowhay Pringe, 29 October-2 February 2025, Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery, Alnwick, bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk