Since last exhibiting at Guildford House Gallery, Linda Walsh has moved house which, although traumatic, the first room to be painted and sorted out was her new studio at the top of her new house!

Linda Walsh is having her first solo show at the Fountain Gallery in September 2007 entitled "Mediations on Angkor" which will be a series of new textile pieces inspired by a visit to the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia.  Angkor Wat itself is a large and beautiful temple surrounded by even more temples that have been rescued from the jungle.  Some remain overgrown with huge tree toots, both destroying and preserving the carved building blocks. 

With other Kaleidoscope members, Linda will be exhibiting at The Orangery Gallery in Holland Park in 2008.

For most of her life Linda Walsh has been a maths teacher who embroidered in her spare time. In 1990 her husband’s job took them to live in Singapore where she was able to take a break from teaching and enjoy learning about the culture and textiles of South East Asia.

When she returned to England she studied for City & Guilds (parts I and II) in embroidery and design at Richmond. Linda enjoyed discovering new techniques and working on her own designs. Her then teenage daughter occasionally examined a piece and pronounced it ’cool’. The ultimate compliment!

Another spell in Singapore followed and she studied with members of the museum there and gave some lectures herself on ikat dying and beaded clothing. She now exhibits with Kaleidoscope, and ‘Opus’ embroidery group.

For obvious reasons her work is influenced by her travels in South East Asia and many design ideas are drawn from those cultures. She enjoys giving an odd twist to conventional techniques often resulting in three dimensional work.

So what has Linda been doing since Kaleidoscope was last at Guildford House in December 2004?

She says "My work has always been influenced by my travels, and last year I completed a large hanging for a company based on paddy fields. Then for some time I have been trying to work in depth on the theme of the Grand Canyon which is a stunning place. I first visited it as a student in 1968 and it took over thirty years to get there with my husband, although I knew he would love it. We visited in 2000, 2001 and 2003 and hope to return soon."

Linda continues, "I particularly love the colours at all times of day and enjoy finding that soft fabrics and silk fibres can represent hard rocks and textures. I layer fabrics, paper and stitch to represent the build up of those ancient rocks. The small areas and stitches represent an immense, unfathomable space and the textured weathered surface caused by the passing of time. As I stitch I remember the amazing size and endless vistas and the timeless feeling of this place and wonder at the small part mankind has played in this ancient formation."

Linda Walsh
22 Kingston Lane
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 9HW

Tel: 020 8977 6383
Email: walshes@btinternet.com