Jo Gallant

Pink Route

I was bought up in Norfolk but moved to Scotland in the 1980s when I set up my first textile studio in Sutherland, then moving to Galloway in the 1990s, where I now live on the edge of the Forest Park, surrounded by trees, hills and wildlife.
I am inspired by the landscape, its textures and colours and have always liked making things in cloth. This combination has fed into my current practice. I have a degree in Fashion/Textiles from Birmingham Polytechnic.

Images of Studio

Click image to enlarge

About My Practice

I make cushions and one-off decorative wall panels on themes from wide skies and hills to the detail of meadow flowers and grasses, and quirky birds and animals.
I use dye-painting on a variety of natural fabrics from fine silks to linens and cotton velvets and then put them together using a combination of piecing, applique, and free-motion machine embroidery.

Tools & Materials

My materials are mostly linen and cotton in a variety of weights and textures, my fibre-reactive dyes and my threads. My main tools are my iron, my scissors and my sewing machines. I try to reduce waste as much as possible by careful planning and cutting of the fabric to size before dyeing it. I’m also currently using some lovely silks which have been handed on to me.