ARTIST Dionne Swift was inspired as a child by the advice of her grandmothers.

Little did she know aged 10 that the stitching and embroidery they taught her would one day form part of her career.

But Dionne still follows the advice handed down to her.

And after winning the 2011 Craft and Design magazine gold award for textiles, her grandmothers’ advice seems to have been worth listening to.

Holmfirth artist Dionne has made a name for herself in the textile word and is known for her Devore work, a process of etching away a textile.

Dionne studied at Goldsmiths in London, but her education began long before then.

“I’ve been doing this type of work for 15 years now, Devore is something I picked up and I’m known in textile circles for it,”she said.

“But it was when I was ten or 11 both my grandmothers taught me different textile techniques.

“One used to make smock dresses and embroidery – they both passed on their skills and from then I became interested in textiles.”

At 16 she began her further education in the art world but had in the back of her mind her grandmothers’ advice.

“They taught me to break the rules,” Dionne added. “They never stuck to a pattern, they’d always make the pattern themselves and that’s what I’ve done.”

And it’s something she passes on during her tutoring work – she works with budding textile artists and encourages them to try and break the rules and see where it takes them.

Dionne has also just moved into a new studio at in Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, which is open to the public.

The nature of her work takes her around the country, but you’ll know when she’s back by the board she puts up outside the studio.

You can also see her pieces in the collection at Huddersfield Art Gallery (HAG), which include the abstract landscapes created on velvet using the Devore process.

Many of the pieces are inspired by her surroundings, the landscapes of the Holme Valley.

But she also has one giant piece of velvet stretched across a canvas, giving visitors a hint of the process behind her work and they can see the quality of it.

Also within her collection are five pieces from her work with a steam roller.

Back in 2009 she hired a heavy duty steam roller as it was the only machine big enough for an 8ft by 4ft collographic print she was working on.

Off-shoot pieces from then are also on show at HAG, organised by the team behind the Art Markets.

Dionne is a fan of the markets, adding: “I’ve done the Holmfirth ones and they are brilliant because it’s right on my doorstep and a great way to become part of the local creative community and wider community.

“There’s a good buying audience which travel from further afield too, a couple of interior designers from Manchester came over and saw my work and commissioned me.”

For more information about Dionne’s work visit www.dionneswift.co.uk.

l The Huddersfield Art Gallery artists will talk about their work; see Emily Stubbs on Tuesday January 3, from 1-2pm; Priscilla Jones on Wednesday January 4, from 1-2pm; Denby Dale-based artist James Oughtibridge on Thursday, January 5, from 1-2pm; on Friday, January 6 Leeds-based digital designer Clare Lane from 2-3pm; Huddersfield University lecturer and textile artist Dionne Swift’s talk is on Saturday, January 7 from 1-2pm. Art Market co-organiser Brendan Hesmondhalgh, on Wednesday, January 11 from 1-2pm, followed by Jamie Frost on Thursday, January 12 from 1-2pm and Jim Bond completes the artists’ talks on Friday, January 13, from 1-2pm.

All of the talks take place at Huddersfield Art Gallery.