PAT GIBSON
Pat now lives in Mid Wales having moved there from the South East of England.
She was attracted to bobbin lace and finally found a class in the early 70’s at an Arts centre in Bracknell, Berkshire. There, Nenia Lovesey starting teaching Needlelace. The rest, as the saying goes, ‘is history’. Pat was ‘hooked’.
Since then she has continued to evolve her needlelace including collaborating with Ros Hills to compile a book of needlelace stitches.
As an Home Economics teacher Pat eventually taught textiles to GCSE and ‘A’ level. This involved working in Mixed Media. Whole new avenues and ideas arose as a result, with her now classing herself as a mixed media textile artist with a specialism in needlelace.
Owning a considerable collection of high quality antique needlelace has allowed Pat the opportunity to study the lace at close hand. Research continues as more pieces are ‘unravelled’.
Much of Pat’s inspiration comes from the natural world, particularly rock formations, rust and decay!
Recent visits to New Zealand have resulted in a large body of work, both mixed media and needlelace depicting areas of inspiration.
Her main interest is still the needlelace with a slightly new direction, working the raised embroidery found on the caskets of the 17th century. She has completed a replica, with some slight variations, of one in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow and is now working another one to her own design.
Research and experimentation are still the order of the day.
 Needlelace fanby Pat Gibson Worked in response to a Lace Guild challenge |  Replica casketby Pat Gibson Back panel of replica casket from the Burrell Collection in Glasgow worked in raised embroidery, 20x15x12cm |  Point de Gaze panelby Pat Gibson Enlarged central motif from a piece of Point de Gaze needlelace, 12 x 15cm |
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 Miniature Carriage Parasolby Pat Gibson Point de Gaze style needlelace 50 diameter |  Llanberis Reflectionsby Pat Gibson Mixed media background and needlelace in 3D to form the icicles. Inspired by photograph of a frozen waterfall in the Lake District. 43 x 26 |  Bishop's Palace, St David's, Pembrokeshireby Pat Gibson Printing using intense blocks, surface needlelace 31 x 20 |
 Bracket fungiby Pat Gibson Needlelace attached to a piece of 'bog oak'. This fungi was growing on a huge log outside the visitors centre at Gilfach nature reserve. 20cm high |  Northern Lightsby Pat Gibson Necklace in needlelace, worked from a pattern for tape lace given to Pat by two Dutch ladies who attended her class at 'Threads 90' in Bradford 27cm long |  Hot laceby Pat Gibson Needlelace 'stitches' created using a soldering iron on Lutrador 64 x 80 Exhibited at Shape Shifting, 2014 |
 There has to be an odd one, see how they have grownby Pat Gibson Stylised fushia flowers worked in needlelace using fine paper covered wire and silk thread. The larger flowers are worked using jute and linen. All are attached to cheese wire 90cms high Exhibited at Shape Shifting, 2014 |