Mary Parry Trading Estate Inspiration The Museum display about the early days of the Slough Trading Estate sent me off on a journey of discovery. I had hoped to find the original, decorative entrance but this has long gone. Instead I found myself attracted to the industrial buildings, especially the old ones with their asymmetrical roofs and interesting pipes and grills. The power station, is the real heart of the estate, governing the circulation of heat and power. As a geographer I can appreciate the pivotal role the estate plays in the local economy and the fact that it is still expanding and growing keeps Slough afloat. The shapes, colours and textures of these buildings and the impact of the green landscaping have given me a challenge and have certainly ‘Floated my boat’.
Techniques I have hand-dyed most of the fabrics for this piece. Many of the textured surfaces have been created using twin needles on the sewing machine. The metallic surfaces are either made from various metallic textiles or foil. The reflective window is made from transparent PVC with Angelina fibre behind. The vegetation has been made using small pieces of dyed fabric trapped by machine embroidery between layers of dissolvable film. Quilting has been done using hand and machine techniques.