Sarah Le Breton

Outdoor textile canopy - inspired by Honiton lacework. 

Utilising electrical wire usually found in space rockets, Sarah is creating a large circular canopy that aims to capture the highly naturalistic style of Honiton lace in a contemporary textile piece.  Working in crochet, Sarah will draw inspiration for her artwork from the wild flowers and foliage found in the hedgerows of the Blackdown Hills.

Sited outdoors, Sarah's intention is that the overhead lace like pattern will in daylight play with the relationship between light and shadow on the ground beneath, in effect 'imprinting' the viewer under the canopy.  In order to further explore the altered sense of atmosphere that the canopied space creates, solar powered LEDs attached to movement sensors will be woven into the canopy enabling the work to light up in the darkness.  Sarah also hopes to utilise the digital film making training offered by the New Eyes project through the use of time lapse filming which will show the atmospheric changes of the canopy from day into night.

Many thanks to the Allhallow Museum in Honiton who have allowed Sarah access to their extensive lace collection during her research.

Further Info on the artist

After gaining valuable experience working at Dartington College of Arts assisting in improving artists' entrepreneurial skills alongside managing a number of arts seminars and events, in spring 2006 Sarah decided to make the leap and launch herself full time into her creative professional practice.  Fortune favours the brave and within just a few months Sarah has been able to successfully establish herself as both a textile and willow artist.

Utilising her textile experience, gained from both working within a commercial weaving business in the Blackdown Hills and from her own 'inherited' exploration into crochet and knitting, Sarah is currently embarking on making a series of wire sculptural lighting products for indoor and outdoor placement.  The New Eyes Project has provided a fantastic opportunity for Sarah to create her first large scale commissioned textile piece for outdoor display.  Concurrently, Sarah has seized upon the opportunity to join forces with renowned willow sculptor Stephen Froom at Wicked Willow in Cove.  Having a background in weaving and love of creating outdoor sculptural pieces, Sarah is ideally suited to making life size willow figures, animals and mythical creatures.

For further info about Sarah’s artwork please contact sarah.lebreton@yahoo.co.uk