Diversification is important in business and it is no different in the art world. Over the last 40 years Sylvia Paul from Essex has become well-known for her mixed media collage paintings. Her textile work is beginning to attract a loyal following, too. Often Sylvia’s textile wall hangings include remnant fabrics from Subury, Suffolk and in 2013 when she first exhibited them, six sold. Interestingly this wasn’t in England but in Japan because Sylvia’s daughter in law is Japanese and with her help Sylvia has started showing her work in galleries there. “Representatives from the Tokomachi Quilt festival heard about the exhibition and came along to see it,” she says. “They invited me to have a small window display in the town during the next festival in 2014. The festival is unique as it takes over the whole town every year in September with all the local businesses and organisations showing quilts in a big trail around the town. “This year I have been invited back to have a larger display of my textile art in a new venue in the town. The exhibition will run for four days during the festival and I have sent several textile pictures and hangings, some made from the English silk remnants while for others I have used the beautiful kimono and obi fabrics from my now growing collection.” The exhibition runs from September 24 to 27. www.sylviapaul.com