Featured Artist - Sandie Craig

Artist Sandie lives in the craggy North Pennines in an old lead mining community with dogs, cats, sheep, chickens, wildflowers, and a whole wide landscape right on her doorstep to explore daily and capture in art.

However she was inspired by the natural world from an early age: "I remember walking through the woods, glens and unspoiled beaches around the North East of the Scottish Highlands where I grew up, and would marvel at the colours and forms of plants."

Sandie fulfilled her passion whilst undertaking a three year course on Textile Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, and is now an Organic Artist.

I think this term best defines my work because whichever medium I use is almost exclusively gleaned from Nature, and the Collections I'm working on are inspired by observations of daily country life or indigenous tribal art. I love working with natural materials and structures - although I also do flatwork - and I prefer undyed wool and gather fleece from the fields to use as filling or to add texture. My style is contemporary and I use all forms of felting in my pieces as well as stitching. I've wanted to return to artistic work all my life and finally, in retirement, I am able to do that.