Linda Moss

I make small individually-designed items from mainly natural and local raw materials. My work includes hats, bags and jewellery, some combining silver and semi-precious stones. The felt is hand-rolled using wool from my own sheep and  that of other local farmers, and alpaca. I use my own hand-made soap and the local soft water in the making.  I introduce silk and other fibres to produce special textures, colours and effects: or I use undyed natural sheep and alpaca colours and fleece textures with stone, leather and horn fastenings. Sometimes beachcombed findings are incorporated, particularly sea-scoured glass and pottery fragments.  I avoid plastics and man-made fibres and fabrics. Many of the dyes are my own, produced from natural, local vegetation. I hold the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark  for the sustainable nature of the work, and its use of recycled, and local raw materials.
My inspiration  comes from the natural landscape, particularly the rocks, flora and fauna of  the local upland landscape of the Peak District, and the shifting patterns of sand, sea and light around the West coast of Britain. But having studied Byzantine art for many years, including a PhD, I am aware of its influence of strong shapes, colours and textures in my work.
For my paintings I work from nature, often sketching quickly in difficult locations: rocky ledges, windy mountainsides or  pitching in a small sailing boat. I try to capture the essence of the location and its weather, sometimes visiting places several times in differing conditions. This is why I may produce several renderings of the same location.  These outdoor sketches lead to the finished painting, which I work on in my studio over several days, in less challenging conditions.
I trained originally at Leeds College of Art and recently have attended  several workshops in different  techniques, which has led now to a focus in my paintings in mixed media.