Lizzie Godden

Like many people, I find the speed of life quite overwhelming. In this digital age we are bombarded with possibilities, places to go, films to see, information to digest. For fear of what we might be missing out on, we rarely make time to reflect, to stand still. 

I am attracted to “The Slow Movement”. A life aim is summed up so well for me by Carl Honore – “Seek to live at what musicians call the tempo giusto – the right speed”.  I live in the Forest of Dean and by the River Severn, areas so rich in unspoilt, natural resources. The bark, the leaves, the flowers, the debris, the river and the great sky – they’re commodities for my art form, inspiration for my expression and essentially they are food for my very being – bring me joy, wonder, peace. 

Working as a slow textile artist, I love the gentle processes of gathering materials, making dyes, marking with found objects, and hand-stitching. The pace of these activities is so calming and grounding. Walking in the Forest and by the River, taking the time to stand still, to listen and look, to breathe deeply, I find my tempo gusto. 

I have been enjoying textiles through study, teaching and exhibiting for more than 20 years.  

As a tutor, I have a broad portfolio. My passions though are gathering, dyeing, overdyeing, ecoprinting, using shibori techniques, mark making with found objects, constructing garments, hangings, pictures and books with dyed and marked fabrics and paper, and the slow process of hand stitching.