Juanita Buchan

About Juanita Buchan

Welcome to my website. I create fine art embroideries and paintings. I’m most inspired by medieval art, tapestries, 17th Century Dutch/Flemish paintings, intricate patterns and vibrant colours. Thread painting is a contemporary embroidery technique I’ve developed to recreate traditional still life and portraiture. I embroider initial silk paintings with hand and free machine stitching, bringing painting skills and fine detail to my textiles. I taught myself to sew making my own clothes in the seventies, then when my daughters went to school I enrolled on a City and Guilds course, which gave me the confidence to become an artist. When I see beauty, inspiration challenges me to recreate it in paint or embroidery. Each time, I tell myself ‘I can do this if I try hard enough’, stretching my skills to higher and higher levels. There have been lots of mistakes along the way, but hard work and perseverance have enabled me to complete each piece to progressing standards.

I love embroidery; silk threads bring pattern and colour alive with more vibrancy than paint. Textiles are very versatile, developing my thread painting style through a series of family portraits. It was a proud achievement when the 74th Annual United Society of Artists Exhibition (1995) accepted several of my embroideries for display alongside traditional paintings. I am based in Saltford and spend hours each day working in my studio – larger textiles can take up to 18 months to complete. Good daylight is essential, making winter’s bad light and short working days frustrating. My two daughters depicted in ‘Shared Jeans’ are grown up now with children of their own. I hope you enjoy my work.

Studies

  • 1989 - City & Guilds in textile embroidery and design at Cassio College, Watford
  • 1995 - Stain glass with Elizabeth Rouburg, St Albans
  • 1996 - Art and Design at Hertfordshire University, Hatfield
  • 1997 - Fresco painting in Bath with Fleur Kelly http://www.fleurkelly.com/
  • 1998 - Egg tempera on wood panel, painting and guilding, with Maria Lancaster
  • 1998 – Egg tempera and under painting with David Cranswich. http://www.davidcranswick.com/

Exhibitions and Awards

  • 2015 - December, Keynsham ArtSpace joint exhibition with local artists, Market Walk, Keynsham
  • 2015 - August, solo exhibition 'A Thread of Colour' at Bath Central Library, Bath
  • 2015 - May, A Portrait of David, Quilts UK, Malvern; The Christine Porter Quilts Award for Machine Quilting; 2nd Prize in the Cotton Patch Award for Large Wall Hanging; The Art Quilt Award sponsored by Liz Jones; A Judges Choice Certificate awarded by Sylvia Critcher
  • 2014 - November, Tiger Lillies, West Country Quilt Show, Bristol; Rosette for embellishment / surface texture
  • 2014 - June, Shared Jeans, National Quilt Championships; Overall Champion, Machine Quilting award, Large Wall Hanging award, Art Quilt award and Judges Choice. http://www.grosvenorshows.co.uk/html/national_esher.html
  • 2014 - April. Copper Kettle, Brighton and Hove Arts Council; Picture of the Year. http://www.bh-arts.org.uk/annual-exhibition-2
  • 2014 - May, Battle of Lewes Tapestry; Juanita contributed several sections of the tapestry including Simon de Montford
  • 2014 - January, Teal Vase and Bowl of Apples exhibited at Rendezvous Cafe & Gallery, Brighton
  • 2013 - August, Simplicity, Dupont Annual exhibition, Hove; Third Place. http://www.dupontartclub.org.uk/?file=exhibitions
  • 2006 - May, Open Studio exhibition, Lansdown Mews, Brighton.
  • 2006 - June, Open Studio Galleries, Brighton Beach.
  • 2006 - May, Simplicity, The Society of Women Artists (SWA), Mall Galleries London. http://www.society-women-artists.org.uk/
  • 2002 - September, Hertfordshire Open Studios, exhibition of paintings and textiles.
  • 2001 - May, Pink Duet, Society of Botanical Artists Open Exhibition, London.
  • 1995 - September, The Joust, Purple Peacock and Rampant Lion, International Craft Fair in Nyireguhaz Hungary, visiting exhibition from St Albans Craft Group, Third Prize for Textiles. Celtic Circle, Persion Warrior and Lovers Tryst, Silk Solutions, Open Studio by Tessa Barnes of textile paintings. Tuesday's Tulips, Thursday's Daffodils, Is Tea Ready?, Spring Bouquet, White Vase and Cross Culture, Five Women Artists Plus Exhibition, St Pancras old church, London.\r\n
  • 1995 - July, Spring Bouquet and Thursday's Daffodils, Watford and District Local Artists Exhibition, Watford Central Library, Watford.
  • 1995 - June, The Proud Unicorn, The Joust, The Rampant Lion and Purple Peacock, St Alban's Craft Groups Exhibition, The Maltings, St Albans. Tiger Lily's and Is Tea Ready?, National Needlework Championships, Ascot and Doncaster, unable to be judged as they were oversized. Tiger Lily's, Lady on a Horse, Tuesday's Tulips and Is Tea Ready?, 74th Annual United Society of Artists Exhibition, Westminster Gallery, Central Hall, London.
  • 1995 - February, The Proud Unicorn and Thursday's daffodils, Hertfordshire Visual Arts Forum, Watford Central Library, Watford.
  • 1994 - November, Purple Peacock, The Joust and Celtic Circle, Embroidery Extravaganza, Hertfordshire Embroiders Guild, Watford Museum, Watford.
  • 1994 - June, 'The wonderful quilted world of Juanita Buchan' solo exhibition, Royston Museum, Royston.
  • 1994 - January, 'A thread of Fantasy', solo foyer exhibition, Maltings Arts Centre, St Albans.
  • 1993 - December, joint exhibition CRA, St Albans.
  • 1993 - June, Act one, scene one - a quilt for Jade, IX National Patchwork Championship, Althorp House, Althorp, First Certificate - Machine applique. A quilt for Lauren, Hertfordshire Visual Arts Forum Exhibition, Regional venues, Runner Up Certificate. Another time another place (a North American influenced handmade paper collage), Paper / Multiple Images Exhibition, Malting's Art Centre, St Albans.
  • 1993 - May, solo exhibition, The Galleria, Hatfield.
  • 1993 - April, Grey spotted horse and Proud Unicorn, Textile Art Exhibition, Watford Embroidery Extravaganza, Watford Museum.
  • 1993 - March, Peacock and Peacock in Gold, Embroiders Guild Exhibition, St Albans Museum.
  • 1992 - June, Over the Rainbow a quilt for Lauren, VIII National Patchwork Championship, Hatfield House, First Award - The Beckford Mill Cup, in 'quilts for a child', exhibited at Beckfoot Mill in July 1992

Publications

  • Quilters Guide Magazine (Summer 2014) 'Two's Company' front cover and article on 'Shared Jeans'
  • Allston, Jan (2014) Bernina Blog, Champion Quilt 2014 created on a Bernina 1008! http://blog.bernina.com/en/2014/07/champion-quilt-2014-created-on-a-bernina-1008/
  • Sussex Express (7th March 2014) Front cover and article using Simon De Montfort detail in the Battle of Lewes Tapestry
  • Sussex Past and Present Magazine (April 2014) cover details Simon De Montfort in the Battle of Lewes Tapestry
  • Harker, Gail (2000) Creative Machine Embroidery. A practical sourcebook. B.T.Batsford. London. Pg 30-33 http://www.gailcreativestudies.com/ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Machine-Embroidery-Gail-Harker/dp/0713485744
  • Independent Patchworker (Summer 1995) Preview of work in embroidery exhibition featuring detail from 'Is Tea Ready?'
  • Herts Advertiser (24th November 1993) Exhibition preview http://www.hertsad.co.uk/home
  • Popular Patchwork (July / August 1993) Feature: Championship review, 'A quilt for Jade' http://www.popularpatchwork.com/
  • Independent Patchworker (July 1993) Front Cover Feature
  • Needlecraft (Summer 1993) Feature on National Patchwork Championships, 'A quilt for Jade'
  • Herts Advertiser (12th May 1993) Artist Profile http://www.hertsad.co.uk/home
  • Create Monthly (May 1993) 'Picture of Jade' Portrait 'painted' in thread, 'Chivalry' Embroidered silk painting
  • Independent Patchworker (Autumn 1992) Feature on Beckford Mill Cup winner

Recent Work

Contact Juanita

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