Finding Inspiration: Sarah Burford


Now that other work commitments have allowed it, artist Sarah Burford (also known as Curious Pip), is ready to fully embark on her Daphne's Glove piece this month. Taken by surprise, inspiration has struck much closer to home than Sarah was expecting.
 
"My vision of 'Daphne' has swapped and changed a bit in my mind since receiving the brief back in October 2014. When I first opened that little package I thought, yes I know what kind of a character I want Daphne to be. I gathered lots of images, made little sketches, and worked out in my head exactly what I was going to do with that dainty little glove. Then it changed slightly, then changed again.
Commissions and other commitments have meant that Daphne has had to be shelved for a while but from now onwards it's all about my commitment to Daphne!
However, looking back at my 'shelved' images and sketches I was left a little daunted. It all seemed a bit flat and uninspiring, I needed to know more about Daphne and how she gets to the image I've created of her in my head. Panic started to take over until something dawned on me. My lovely Grandma was from Coventry, home to the Cash's label factory! She was a keen seamstress, knitter and homemaker. She made lots of her own clothes and was the type of lady who never left the house without gloves and a hat (even in her 80's and in poor health). It seems my real starting point for this project has been staring me in the face all along!
So here I go, loads of new scribblings, a piece of fabric from one of my Grandma's handmade suits (totally moth holed and falling apart) and, 'The Little Book of Schiaparelli' because the way Schiaparelli incorporates unusual objects into wearable surreal fashion absolutely inspires me and makes my jaw drop.
First things, first. A spot of tea dying, green dye dying and a glass of red wine (the latter being for me and not the dye pot!)."