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Anne Barton de Mayor. Born in London and now settled in Villafranca del Cid, a village in the mountains of Castellón, Spain. Her workshop is the attic of a dilapidated house virtually unchanged since it was built in 1617 (John Ruskin would surely approve).
I find inspiration everywhere, but my work is particularly informed by my childhood surrounded by my mother’s haute couture creations; the years I spent living in London, Paris, Caracas, Valencia (Spain), Ibiza and the mountains of Castellón; my love of old, used objects; and decades translating medieval manuscripts, with their fascinating illuminations and scripts.
I manipulate natural fabrics with rust, natural dyes and even bury them.
Then, using freemotion embroidery I ‘draw’ or ‘write’ on them, using the needle as my pencil.
But my exploration of textile and mixed media art extends beyond my workshop. I have transformed my delapidated, seventeenth-century house in Villafranca del Cid into Abadía Seven, an alternative art venue that regularly hosts exhibitions, collective art and other activities with the local community and visiting artists.
Finally, Abadía Seven is also the HQ of Villafranca del Arte, a platform for creative activities at different times of year: street decoration workshops at Christmas with the local community; poetic canvasses for poetry festival; outdoor art installations; arts and crafts for children… Suggestions are always welcome!
