Ruth Isherwood Abstract - Environments - Fantastic and Strange - Flora and Fauna Ruth Isherwood began her education at Shevington Vale Community Primary School, moving on to Shevington High School. She completed the Embroidery BA Honours at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2004 and has been in residence at Drumcroon since September 2004, working in a corner of the library until a more practical studio space became available. She is a textile artist who is fascinated by the power of colour and materials to stimulate the senses. She is consistently curious, always searching for objects and materials that unexpectedly intrigue and delight and she will recycle wherever it is possible. Metal sieves and eyelets, plastic bottle tops and tubes, soap scourers, foam balls, knitted tubes, cardboard rolls, foam pipe insulation…. her studio is like a magpie's den of found treasure, neatly stored and organised to best display its potential for transformation.

Ruth uses a number of different techniques to construct her three-dimensional forms, creating structures using hand and machine stitching and knitting. She loves to find connections between disparate objects and colours, enjoying the challenge of inventing ways of attaching and joining objects and materials together. Initial ideas are recorded in her sketchbooks from where she begins to develop two dimensional ideas by sampling, using small fragments of materials to experiment with different processes. Her ideas evolve with the work, with decisions constantly being made throughout the process, so that she is never sure about the final outcome until it is finally resolved. Ruth is constantly inspired by this adventure with materials.

Sea creatures and exotic natural forms are a constant source of inspiration. She is fascinated by multiples in nature - the masses of tentacles on sea anemones, the needles on sea urchins, petals, seed heads - have all fed into her visual language. The sense of movement in nature is also important. Ruth enjoys the way sea creatures and plants move with the water current, as much as the intensity of their colour.

"A healthy coral reef bursts with life and colour - you find every shape and colour imaginable. Sea anemones are so tactile. I aim to try and capture these qualities in my work."

The textile artists Tadek Beutlich and Michael Brennand Wood have influenced Ruth in her love of colour and texture, particularly encouraging a curiosity and fascination for diverse materials. Ruth has also been interested in the textile sculptures created by Claire Proctor, who is similarly inspired by multiples in nature. More recently the large scale architectural works by the glass artist, Dale Chihuly have inspired Ruth to explore ideas around installations of her work in public spaces. Chihuly creates huge vividly coloured organic glass forms, often displayed amongst plants and gardens, creating exotic and exiting environments.