'I have endless fun “graffitiing” in thread on found fabrics, using old clothes, household linen and op shop finds alongside purpose-bought furnishing fabrics. I love fabric that allows me to conjure something new from existing printed imagery.'
May is an Auckland-based artist using hand embroidery to create intricate textile works. She graduated with a BFA (Film) from Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch, in 1992.
May’s practice is informed by her background in animation and illustration. Her short films of the 1990s, including the award-winning Feline, have been shown in art galleries and international film festivals here in NZ and around the globe.
May’s work ranges from the quirky and playful to the deeply introspective and psychologically-based. She considers both aspects to be equally important within her practice, much as in real life.
May first started learning embroidery techniques as a way to inject some fun into mending her children’s clothes. She soon found it to be an ideal art form to practise within family life, as it can be picked up and put away quickly, worked on almost anywhere, and doesn’t require a lot of space.
