
Osborn Bridge, Shelton Old Road, Ephraim Street, Clifford Street by Fran Buxton
Fran Buxton finds beauty in blemished objects that bear the traces of their past. Her work in the Made in the Middle exhibition features a collection of found objects that have been transformed with needlelace and needle weaving.
Fran’s work is on show in Made in the Middle from January 2025 – April 2026.
Fran Buxton talks about her creative process
With this collection, I aim to encourage a thoughtful observation of discarded objects – for what they are and what they represent, for their newly elevated status as a stitched sculptural art form and importantly as a vehicle for conversation; a considered holding of space.
Such objects have been gathered as I explored my new urban surroundings: carefully selected for their colour, textured patina and backstory. In responding to each, I gave extra consideration to how the “threads” I use (to stitch, weave or make lace adornments with) could relate. Instead of my usual choice of cotton threads, I hand twisted lengths of cord, made from rolling papers used for smoking and different colours of discarded plastic bags (especially favouring the iconic yet flimsy blue plastic carrier bag of off-licences, that floats around my neighbourhood).
These throwaway materials require extra time and processing to achieve a fine enough result to then coax into stitched forms. It became a ritual of methodically hand twisting metres and metres of this cord, on the train, in my spare time: at times physically uncomfortable with repeated movements of arms and hands.
I explored new ways of creating lace motifs, soft basketry, braiding and dyeing with rusty items from the pavement, in order to find the most fitting technique for each composition.
In doing so, I found space to ponder: value (or lack thereof) given to objects and in turn their owners, their impact on me, society, the environment and, in turn how, now changed, their impact continues to evolve.
Marrying these unconventional (and at times unruly) materials has presented continual challenges yet what has emerged has beautiful sculptural potential; worthy of consideration.

Fran Buxton in the studio (Photo: David P Rowan)
Images: Fran Buxton