Collection: Josie Russell

Mae Josie Russell yn arlunydd tecstilau ar ei liwt ei hun wedi'i leoli yng Ngwynedd.

“Dechreuodd fy angerdd dwfn am gelf a dylunio pan oeddwn yn ifanc iawn, ac mae'n parhau hyd heddiw. Er mwyn diffinio a gwella ar y brwdfrydedd cynnar a deimlais dros gelf a chrefft fel plentyn, astudiais yn galed i gyflawni BA mewn Dylunio Graffig yn llwyddiannus. Hefyd, enillais ragoriaeth yn ystod fy Diploma Cenedlaethol mewn Celf a Dylunio a enillais o fy ngholeg lleol, ac yn ystod yr amser hwnnw, mynychais amrywiaeth o gyrsiau a gweithdai creadigol nad ydynt yn y cwricwlwm.

Yn ystod fy nghyfnod astudio, ymdriniais ag ystod eang o ffurfiau a thechnegau artistig, y mae pob un ohonynt wedi canfod eu ffordd i mewn i bob agwedd ar fy ngwaith creadigol. Heblaw am fy nghariad at ddylunio, mae gen i lawer o hobïau a diddordebau eraill sy'n dylanwadu'n uniongyrchol ar y ffordd rydw i'n gweithio a'r canlyniad terfynol.

Pan nad wyf yn gweithio ar brosiectau celf a chrefft, gellir dod o hyd i mi yn yr awyr agored fel rheol - boed hynny yn fy ngardd, neu fel arall yn cerdded trwy fryniau hardd Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri. Rwy'n teimlo cysylltiad dwfn â chefn gwlad, felly efallai nad yw'n syndod bod mynyddoedd, fflora a ffawna Gogledd Cymru heb eu difetha yn ffurfio'r sylfaen bresennol ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf o'm gwaith creadigol.

Trwy estyniad naturiol o hyn, rwy’n bryderus iawn am faterion ecolegol cyfredol, ac yn ymdrechu i gadw fy effaith amgylcheddol i’r lleiafswm. Deuthum yn ymwybodol yn gynnar iawn nad oes raid i waith celf hyfryd, unigryw gostio cannoedd o bunnoedd i greu neu achosi anfantais i'n hamgylchedd.

Dim ond lleiafswm moel fy neunyddiau gofynnol sy'n cael eu prynu o'r newydd - canfasau, edafedd penodol, neu rannau sbâr ar gyfer fy mheiriant gwnïo. Mae'r gweddill - fframiau, botymau, gleiniau, rhubanau, ac all-doriadau o ffabrigau rhyfedd, trawiadol - yn dod o syfrdanu helaeth yn fy siopau elusennol lleol, yn cael eu hailgylchu o fy nillad fy hun, neu fel arall yn rhodd garedig gan deulu a ffrindiau hael. Mae hyn yn golygu bod mwyafrif fy ngwariant, pan fydd yn codi, yn y pen draw yn canfod ei ffordd yn ôl i elusen, yn hytrach na chorfforaethau gweithgynhyrchu mawr ... ac mae'n arbed llawer iawn o adnoddau yn y broses! ”

Josie Russell is a freelance textile artist based in Gwynedd.

“My deep-rooted passion for art and design began when I was very young, and carries on to the present day. In order to define and improve upon the early enthusiasm I felt for arts and crafts as a child, I studied hard to successfully achieve a BA in Graphic Design. I also attained a distinction during my National Diploma in Art and Design which I gained from my local college, and during that time, I also attended a variety of non-curriculum creative courses and workshops.

During my period of study, I covered a wide range of artistic forms and techniques, each of which has found their way into all aspects of my creative work. Besides my love of design, I have many other hobbies and interests which directly influence both the way in which I work and the end result.

When I am not working on art and craft projects I can usually be found outdoors - be that in my garden, or else walking through the beautiful hills of the Snowdonia National Park. I feel a deep connection with the countryside, so perhaps it is no surprise that the unspoilt mountains, flora and fauna of North Wales form the present basis for most of my creative work.

By a natural extension of this, I am very concerned about current ecological issues, and strive to keep my environmental impact to a minimum. I became aware very early on that beautiful, unique artwork does not have to cost hundreds of pounds to create or cause a detriment to our surroundings.

Only the bare minimum of my required materials are bought new - canvasses, certain threads, or spare parts for my sewing machine. The rest - frames, buttons, beads, ribbons, and off-cuts of strange, striking fabrics - are sourced from extensive rummaging in my local charity shops, recycled from my own clothes, or else kindly donated by generous family and friends. This means that the bulk of my expenditure, when it arises, eventually finds its way back to charity, rather than large manufacturing corporations... and it saves a great deal of resources in the process!”