Rachael Jane MacDonald

Artist Statement

My work is rooted in Scottish folklore and superstitions. Folklore gives a sense of how people used to experience their world: as a layered and symbolic shifting place imbued with a sense of possibility and otherness. I try to capture this sense of otherness by intuitively layering fabric, print and stitch to create rich textures and luminous colours. The local landscape of the Black Isle informs the work and a collage approach to constructing composition creates opportunity to incorporate layered symbolism, windows of memories and personal impressions. I am fascinated with natural and rust dyes and enjoy creating cyanotype prints of foraged plant material.

My current practice of combining narrative and textiles emerged from a career in Performance Costume and an MA in Textiles focussing on research into storytelling therapeutic textiles. In conjunction with my creative practice I am also a lecturer in the Highlands.