Jane Sanders

Jane Sanders is based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. She creates vibrant portraits of rock stars and pop icons to create ‘rock n roll appliqué.’ As well being exhibited in galleries in the UK and USA her work has been featured widely in the media including Mojo magazine, Grayson Perry’s Art Club, Tim Burgess’ Listening Party and Trojan Records.

What is your background in textiles?

As a very young child I was taught by my mother to sew on an old Singer Sewing machine. As a kid of the 70s/80s there was no health and safety, and I was pretty much left to work things out for myself! Later on, I went studied art up to degree level and found myself incorporating textiles into most of my work.

Where do you create your pieces?

When I first started sewing portraits I worked in a cramped corner of my cluttered kitchen, with teen age kids and a dog wandering through. Hence why I worked under the moniker of “Stitchin’ in the kitchen!” Now I have moved house, and whilst I still find myself working in a cramped room, it does however have its own door, and is very much “my room”. I think it’s important to stress that you don’t need a flash studio in which to create beautiful things; you can produce very successfully from a domestic setting.

How do you describe your work?

I would describe my work as rock n roll appliqué! It is textile Pop Art! I have been sewing the pop art portraits for the last eight years. I’ve always practiced art since finishing my degree in 1995, in different disciplines, but this is the one where I feel most at home, and think that it holds endless possibilities. I started portraying rock stars because of my passion for music. I like sewing something  other people can relate to, and music is so important in peoples lives. I’ve always been interested in popular culture, and pop music is at the forefront of it. I also love the fact that the machine I use was very much designed to be used domestically; making curtains, or dresses. I like the dichotomy of producing a bad ass portrait of a rocker on it.

Can you talk through the process of creating a piece?

It always starts with an initial line drawing, focusing on the key features of the subject. After this I will transfer the image onto felt. I use lots of felt as it comes in vibrant colours and is strong and doesn’t fray. After this I sew the black, peach and white lines onto the material, to start building up the contours of the face. When I’m happy it looks right, I will shade the material, to make it look more 3D, but how I do this is a trade secret!

I always add glass eyes to give the face depth and realism. I also love to sew with unconventional materials, like old newspapers or maps, which I feel adds to the narrative of the subject matter, so sometimes I do this to make the clothes of the musician. For example, I made Elton John’s costume from a map of his native Pinner. I also love to utilise mixed media and add on things which I usually have knocking about the house. All my work gets sewn onto a plain cotton backing, usually a nice bright colour.

Roughly how long does one piece take?

In general, I can complete a piece of work in about a week, depending on what else is happening.

How has your work evolved over time?

My work is developing as I feel I am becoming more skilled in my craft. Portraits I would not have attempted a few years ago are now fair game for me. Also, I am experimenting with scale, making some works up to a metre, and some very small, twelve inches, album sized. I’m very comfortable sewing with all sorts of materials too, and hoard lots of different things all over the house.

What is it about pop and rock culture that makes it your subject matter?

I was very influenced by the artist Peter Blake when I was young, and I always remember him saying that you should paint something that you love then you will do it well. I love music, and I love sewing so I have married the two together. As a kid we moved around a lot, but my one constant was music and musicians. In a way they became my friends, and I was so drawn to the iconography of pop portraits, and the posters I had on my bedroom wall. Also, I like making art that everyone can relate to. I hate it when art is elitist and alienates people.

Can you give any advice to aspiring textile artists?

Find something you love and sew it! Get fabric from cutting up old clothes or recycling. It’s a very inexpensive way to make art. If you want to use a sewing machine just get a basic one cheaply. You don’t need anything flash. I use a Singer Fashion Mate from 1965 and that’s all I need!

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

So far, my proudest moment was being asked to do a piece for Mojo music magazine. I have been reading this magazine since I was a teenager, ripping the pictures out and sticking them on my bedroom wall. So, it was a full circle moment for me to be commissioned by them, and I felt it validated me as an artist, and textiles as an art form. I was also really proud to have a large portrait of Paul McCartney selected for The New Light Prize Exhibition in 2025. It was embellished with hearts which were donated to me by Beatles fans from literally all over the world for Paul’s 80th birthday.

Where can we see your work?

I am currently preparing for a solo exhibition in Whitchurch Silk Mill in Hampshire. The show runs from 6/12/25 until 22/2/26. It will feature new work and old favourites. It will be great to see my crafted textile portraits in a building steeped with historical textile production. I have created a portrait using the silk donated to my me by this unique heritage museum.