The Art of Annemieke Mein: Wildlife Artist in Textiles - Tapa dura

Using various methods of embroidery, fabric-painting techniques and all kinds of textiles, Annemieke Mein demonstrates how to combine these skills to create a sculptural medium. Many of her textile studies of flora and fauna are illustrated in the book. The subjects Annemieke Mein works on are from the natural world - birds, frogs, blossoms and most often invertebrates, such as moths and dragonflies. Each work uses a wide variety of materials - silk, wool, cotton, synthetics - carefully chosen for their colour and texture. These fabrics are then painted and stitched to reproduce her chosen subjects and to enhance the tactile quality unique to textiles. Many techniques are used in various combinations - hand and machine embroidery, dyeing, applique, trapunto, quilting, pleating, felting, beading, weaving and plying. The author has explored beyong the bounds of crafts and developed new techniques, which, combined with her sense of colour and composition, show how textiles can be used as a scuptural medium. This book should be of interest to all those working with textiles, and all forms of needlecrafts, fabric painting and soft sculpture.