The inspiration for this piece came from photographs of decorative stones and pebbles in gardening magazines. The colours of the delicate patterns brought to mind the soft shades of natural dyes.

The piece was to be part of a college exhibition at the N.E.C.  After making a few sample cobbles, it was suggested that they might be most effectively displayed on a large, white plinth.  The geological collection expanded to include larger pebbles and irregularly shaped rocks.  I decided to set them on a bed of alpine gravel because it reflected the colours used to pattern the stones - and the dry ‘Riverbed’ appeared.

Most of the stones are made from mulberry silk-tops formed around a real stone or lump of rock.  The darker stones are made from fine layers of dyed silk carrier-rods.  I used very fine strands of dyed silk hankies to create all the patterning.