“My mother always told me not to tell tales, but now I’m all grown   up it’s all I do.”

Narrative and memory seem to me to be intertwined with every aspect of life: everyone and everything has a story to tell. My work gives voices to people and things that were forgotten or silenced. Although each body of work has it’s own individuality there is an aesthetic consistency to it, this stems from the concept led approach that I use in creating my work.

There’s an honesty to the traditional methods that I find inspiring – maybe it’s my Indian heritage, or perhaps my studies in embroidery that led to this. At home in Hebden Bridge, in between Manchester and Leeds, I use the finer details of life and art to give a voice to the world beyond.

Growing up in a somewhat nomadic lifestyle – traipsing all over England and later on all over the world – the memories of people I have known and places I have been are a natural and vital part of who I am. In my art, I try to reflect these influences, tightly binding narrative fantasy to the stark detail of reality to create a visual language of my own. A mixed media approach to working offers endless opportunities to experiment with materials and techniques. The techniques employed in pieces range from painting, printing, collage, sculpture, photography and embroidery. I often use a needle and thread to create a drawn line giving a quirky quality to a lot of my work.

My textile design company ‘Fonzie’ that I run in addition to my work as an artist maintains an ethical approach to design by using locally sourced products and vintage materials. Fonzie was born out of desire to combat growing globalisation. People who purchase a Fonzie product receive something ethical, contemporary and individual, something to treasure!