Nikki Parmenter

Nikki Parmenter brought a large selection of her work to today's meeting and introduced us to her method of working. She starts with a sketchbook in which she makes the most beautiful drawings which she prints onto acetate.

 

She then paints them and attaches them to all manner of fabrics and embellishes them with everything you can imagine, including nail varnish, cake cases, Christmas baubles, trinkets, as well as the more usual such as lace medallions. She started small

 

but her work grew with more and more pieces being joined to make very involved hangings.

She even used the train of her mother's wedding dress to produce this piece.

 

The work repays close study as there are many animals and motifs contained in the work.

Gaia

fish

owl and the pussycat

 

Nikki also produces 3D work such as this elephant carrying the world on its back and standing on a turtle.

the world is made from a ballcock and the elephant's tusks from hosepipe

 

 detail of the turtle shell

 

 

As each item was produced there was a gasp from the audience who obviously appreciated the amount of work that had gone in to each item. Nikki is currently working on a "Peace Piece" and she showed us some of her panels that are ready to be pieced together (including some on foam pipe cladding)