My training is in fine art (painting and photography). I work between the disciplines – painting and mixed-media textiles. I am a writer and an author – my most recent publications are Embroidering the Everyday and Textile Landscape. I researched paper and textiles through study in Japan in the mid- to late Eighties supported by the Fellowship, Village and Home Crafts 1985, and the Japan Foundation 1987. I worked on creative arts in the community sector and was able to share my findings in arts events and education. This led to further research with an Arts Council Award to India in 2006. Paper was made by hand in Maidstone with the last sheets being formed at Hayle Mill in the late Eighties, which led to my fascination with paper in all its forms and its wider connected use as a textile in Japan. The lifelong impact of the Fellowship continues to feed my practice. I have written five books and worked on major international projects, including a recent exhibition with the International Quilt Festival in Japan. I continue to seek to support creativity in the community. 'With opportunity comes responsibility' has been the mantra for my working life.