Talks
Christine gives informative and entertaining fully illustrated talks about the different creative aspects of her career; working as a graphic designer for the BBC, self taught patchworker, stitcher and paper cutter. She is happy to Zoom or visit in person, if you are interested email her via the ‘Contact’ page.
Working for Auntie: Behind the Scenes at the BBC as a Graphic Designer
Christine was a graphic designer at the BBC for thirteen years and worked on shows as diverse as the Queen’s Christmas Speech, ‘Our Friends in the North’, and ‘Island Race’. The talk includes numerous sequences, storyboards and artworks. She sat on many graphics and animation juries including BAFTA, Royal Television Society and the British Animation Awards, and received several international awards for her work including a BAFTA nomination for ‘Cambridge Spies’.
Feedback
‘I’d just like to say a huge thank you for your lively and fascinating talk this afternoon. I have already had plenty of emails to say how much people enjoyed it and I am certain that there will be more to come. What a fabulous career you have had, working on such a variety of programmes with so much energy and versatility. It was especially mind-blowing to see all the details which we often miss when watching a programme. My husband has just commented that he would have loved to have had your job and he won’t commit the sacrilege of fast forwarding through the opening credits any more! It’s not just the wonderful work that you shared however, but the clarity and energy with which you presented it to us.’
Playing with Knives: Paper cutting
Christine is a self taught paper cutter, and has built up a small business selling her witty typographic designs. The talk covers international aspects of paper cutting, a bit of history, techniques, popularity and her own take on it and where it has taken her. A couple of years ago Chritsine was featured on BBC4’s ‘Make! Craft Britain’ demonstrating and teaching paper cutting.
Feedback
‘What an amazing talk you gave us last night – we were all buzzing, and it was such an entertaining evening. Thank you so much. You were recommended to us from another WI, and we shall certainly pass on your name to others. (I imagine we will be in touch again in the future!)’
Patchwork: Bust the Rules and Get Creative
Christine has been patchworking since she was a child and has made numerous quilts over the years. She takes a very creative and liberating approach to patchworking, throwing out most of the rules, recycling wherever possible and creating improvised, unique pieces. Christine reference her influences and explain some of the different techniques she uses.
Feedback
‘Bust the rules and get creative, you certainly did that! You had the group absorbed in your stories and how your fabric was found. It was a very entertaining evening.’
A Life in Stitches: A Look at Some of My Stitchy Projects
Christine been stitching for as long as she can remember – starting with dresses and a patchwork quilt for her teddy bear, through to co designing and writing a book about needlepoint, stitching velvet scarves for the opening night of ‘Mary Poppins’ on Broadway, sewing buttons on to the original Pudsey bear, and patch working inspired by Gees Bend and Boro.
Feedback
‘Well, that was a splendid talk you gave us earlier. Thank you so very much. Your work is so diverse and gorgeous and your stories put everything into their own interesting contexts. You’re so entertaining too. I must say that I had a smile on my face for the duration!’
‘What a lovely talk you gave us on Saturday. Your boundless energy and ‘can do’ attitude to projects coming your way was so inspiring. I was particularly taken with the Boro pieces you had done, so similar to Kantha which I love doing. I was chuckling at your bags and bags of every decreasing sizes of fabrics.’
