Jan Hicks

Jan uses fine natural fibres to create a range of lightweight scarves and shawls using hand weaving and nuno felting techniques. All of her materials are hand-dyed in colours which are a reflection of the Cumbrian  landscape in which she works. Her techniques of dyeing using multiple colours in small non-repeatable batches makes each piece individual. 

For her woven scarves she uses fine luxury fibres and simple open weave structures to create a light draping fabric and to allow the gentle colours to speak for themselves. Silks and silk blended with linen and cotton create lustrous fabrics, while cobweb-fine merino and alpaca offer gentle warmth and comfort with no discernible weight. Each scarf has a fine hand-plaited or twisted fringe.

She is currently experimenting with techniques which exploit combinations of different yarns and weave structures to produce textured surfaces, while still creating a lightweight fabric with a lovely handle. These fabrics will be used for a new range of scarves in 2011.

Her nuno felt pieces combine merino wool with fine silk and open-weave cotton fabrics. Many are enhanced with delicate machine embroidery in a wool-rich thread, allowing the patterns created with the wool to form an interesting textural and colour contrast to the lacy openwork areas.  Felt, fabric and thread each react differently when dyed, giving shading and depth of colour to these scarves.

Her textile art pieces have also been accepted for exhibitions throughout Cumbria over the last 10 years. She uses a wide range of materials and techniques, including embroidery and felt making. Like her woven pieces her art is inspired by the varied landscape.