Martha Lawton - BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice
At the river
As a textile artist and designer, ethical exploration and natural materials are at the core of my work. Inspired by the world around me, I want my work to create a positive change using non-toxic processes, encouraging longevity.
As an artist, I explore my inner child through my drawing process; doing whatever feels intuitive and playful. This is a key part of me expressing my creativity, learning to embrace the imperfect in what I draw and make.
My project ‘At the river’ explores the current issue of pollution within our waterways. After reading ‘To dye for’ by Alden Wickers, I was left in a state of dismay for our textile industry. This book reflected on the untold effects of chemical dyes and fabrics in our clothes, and their toxic effects on us and the environment. Further exploring this issue in my dissertation, I channeled this frustration into my project, driving my passion for creating ethical colour and change within the industry. I want to challenge my field by exploring natural materials and colour - in a world full of synthetics and chemicals, stripping colour back to its roots is a protest within itself.
Combining natural dye, weaving and the potentials of wool, I created a series of woven woolen paintings. My naturally dyed colour palette was inspired by photos of me wild swimming in my local river. It felt important to use these colours to highlight my connection with water, swimming is something that makes me feel alive and connected to the world around me. I explored using overspun wool and modifiers to cause shifts in state and pH. This shift reminds me much like overspun wool, water holds memory. The toxic dyes, chemicals and sewage we dump into our rivers may not be visible to the eye but still damages life in and out of water. Enthused by community projects like the Friends of the Dart, I hope my work can translate these words, data and science around water pollution into a tangible tactile material to encourage people to engage with this issue in a different way.
