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Mandy Munroe is a textile artist who lives and works in Ashford. As well as creating stitched wall pieces for exhibitions, she also works to commission. Recent commissions include three pieces for a dental surgery in Cheriton and a large banner for Canterbury City Council’s Make It Real project.

Making new work for a specific location means she is able to tailor the work to suit its final location perfectly, from the basics of the colour scheme and size, down to the finer details of how the piece is made to hang: whether it is hung free on a rod or stretched over board, and hung by a single hook or firmly fixed to the wall with mirror plates. Mandy is enthusiastic about working in modern settings: “Textiles are fantastic for absorbing sound in contemporary spaces so complement interiors with wooden or tiled floors very well.”

She goes on to describe the process: “When I’m asked to create a piece for a particular client it is important to establish what they want and why they want it. Often I will go ahead and dye up some fabrics before the initial meeting so I can take a range with me to audition them in the space. Colours can change when influenced by carpets, curtains etc. I also have a collection of commercially dyed fabrics that I’ve brought back from my travels that can be used alongside hand-dyes to extend the palette I work from.”

“Having tried the range of fabrics in the room and got to know the client’s likes and dislikes, I have a good starting point for a piece which will be worked up on a design wall. More fabrics can be dyed up or overdyed if necessary.”

Mandy has found that interpreting what each client really means is important from the outset. “One person asked me for a cream, brown and gold runner. When we auditioned the fabrics it turned out what she really meant was sand, terracotta and bronze with lots of shades in between. ‘Tomato’ when under-ripe is quite orange, as it ripens it gets more blue. Describing colour is a very personal thing - it’s much easier to get what you want if the fabrics are there and you can just say yes or no.”

Other clients may not have such specific requests. “I’ve been lucky enough in the past to be asked to design for people who have seen my work and are happy to let me have free rein.”

This year, Mandy will be showing a catalogue of previous work at her open studio, along with small wall pieces and cards.

This year, South East Open Studios will run from 9 to 25 June. A free, full-colour illustrated guidebook with artists’ directory and map will be available from public libraries and tourist offices from May or the website: www.seos-art.org

Further press information at: http://www.seos-art.org/press/ SEOS Press Officers: Liz Garnett Tel: 01303 812678 lizgarnett@aol.com Helen Mayer Tel: 01303 276 416 hcmayer44@aol.com