Many of my embroidered landscapes are representations of the views I see when I run. On a long run there are times when you look up through the sweat running in your eyes and think THIS is why I do it. I am a photographer and could use the camera to record these views but there is something about hand sewing them that replicates the plod and effort involved in running. Each stitch a step and each stitch like a brush stroke in a painting or a pencil stroke. Because of the constant movement of running the sewn images don’t represent a view from a single point but more of a sense of the place.  An image forms itself in my mind over a period of time and I usually sketch out the idea. I re-visit the place and may take some reference photographs or make sketches. I might make a composite photo to test the image. I often make a few crow sketches from previous photographs as I always include them. When I’m happy with the composition I draw it out on fabric using a watercolour pencil then attach the fabric to a frame. I’ve found over time that it’s pointless to plan things out too much too far in advance because I change my mind and ignore the plan. So although I have a plan of the composition I don’t now plan the colours in advance. I mark the image out but it tends to rub out as I’m working, I don’t always re-draw it in.

 I find the process of sewing, like the process of running, meditative. When I’m filling an area with similar stitches and colours I get a feeling of detachment from my normal self. When I sew I often have the television on, playing programmes or films that I’m not really interested in because I don’t pay attention to it - anything without subtitles.