For Adele Carney second hand clothes and fabrics are more than just a good find, they are a starting point for her work. Much of her inspiration comes from a mixture of social history and contemporary issues, when combining the two it translates into a thought provoking process for the viewer. Her work can appear decorative and celebratory. She playfully references ideas about the role of women, yet there are deeper layers of meaning, both in the way that she works, and in the materials and processes that she employs.

A huge issue in the press over the past six months is the size zero debate. In recent work, Adele focussed on amassing images, articles, and press releases as visual and contextual research for the production of one off gallery pieces which used a combination of textile processes including digital print, applique, bonding and hand stitch embroidery.

Adele's influences for the project also come from television documentaries and books such as 'Alice Through The Looking Glass' by Jo and Alice Kingsley - the story of a young girl with anorexia and obsessive compulsive disorders. Repeating the same stitch over and over again adds detail but also gives underlying messages about the illness.

click here to see more of Adele's work