A self-taught textile artist who creates โpaintingsโ by hand stitching pieces of fabric together is this yearโs artist in residence at Claydon House.
By the summer, Barbara Shaw will have produced seven pictures using the stately home in Middle Claydon as inspiration, and is currently working on a picture focusing on the ironwork of the grand staircase.
She will be demonstrating and chatting to visitors at the house over the Easter weekend, and exhibiting all seven finished pieces in July/August time.
She said: โIโve come to it very late in life, so I think people find it quite inspiring. I started doing patchwork and had loads of scraps of material left over, so I started making cards.
Mrs Shaw, who lives and works in Aylesbury, said: โI was just sticking bits of fabric on top of eachother using Pritt Stick. Itโs like a jigsaw coming together.
โItโs such an easy medium, and it builds colour like a painting.
โIt can be quite intense, but itโs knowing when to stop. If I aimed for perfection, Iโd never get anywhere.
Mrs Shawโs uses ribbons, chiffon, lace, tweed, cottons and โanything texturedโ to create her pieces, which look like watercolour paintings when seen from a distance.
To find out more about visiting Claydon, go to http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/claydon/visitor-information/
