Libby Smith

As a practising textile artist, Libby Smith has studied and worked with textiles over the last 20 years.  Family history and occupations, which include shoe making and repair and furniture making, were influences in her early life and has perhaps led to her attraction to working on three-dimensional objects.

After completing her studies in 1998, Libby became a member of EAST and the Chelmsford branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild and participated in Embroiderers’ Guild textile tours of India and Thailand.  She is also now a freelance tutor and speaker running workshops throughout the UK and most recently commencing workshops at Missenden Abbey.

Exploring ideas in stitch and words, the development of her recent work has centred around the concept that clothing reveals a history, not just by printed patterns and fashion shapes, marks and stains, tears and repairs and faded colours but a memory can be evoked of a particular event by a favourite dress, a piece of lace or an old button.  Collections of old sewing accoutrements and haberdashery handed down and frequently discarded, may prompt a memory but can develop a new purpose ready for the next episode in its story and survival.

  “I have found my desire to be creative, expressed through the medium of textiles, has given me great personal fulfilment.  I am drawn to work on three-dimensional objects and use hand or machine embroidery, hand dyed fabrics and threads and found objects as each piece of work develops.”

Embroidered (hand and/or machine) shoes and slippers

Furnishing tassels using modern embellishing techniques

Fabric dyeing using procion dyes and fabric manipulation techniques

Hand embroidery projects

Indian embroidery:

Kantha stitching

Indian bags

Tassel making

Contact – Libby@easttextile.co.uk