Talk: My Work, Nikki Parmenter

Nikki says: “As well as more traditional equipment I use various other items such as a sewing machine, jigsaw, glue gun, soldering gun, iron, photocopier and hot air gun.

“I initially produced pieces on A1 paper. Further experimentation led to wooden structures which started to become more three dimensional. I eventually purchased a sewing machine having been inspired by a book on fusing fabrics. This technique involves taking a piece of felt and completely covering it with small pieces of coloured fabric, particularly organza and chiffon. The whole piece of fabric is then covered with a piece of netting. The next stage is to use a soldering iron to fuse the fabrics together, then I use a sewing machine to cover the whole piece with stitches which creates a strong but very flexible fabric which I use to make various pieces of artwork.

“More recently I have developed a technique whereby I produce 3D objects using fused fabrics. I make a base using either chicken wire or wadding and then wrap wool around it to create a solid form. The best results are achieved when making fish or birds. I then start to cover the base using fabrics. I add details such as feathers and scales using a substance called fab foam which is flexible and can be cut into shape using scissors. ​

“The piece is then embellished using beading and other items. As a finishing touch I usually spray dark blue spray paint around the edges of the piece in order to add contrast and depth.”