At first glimpse, it appears that artist Kelly Jenkins has simply splashed dollops of paint onto an abstract background. But take a closer look and you’ll find the random splodges are anything but – they’ve all been painstakingly embroidered with fine thread.

“The splash of paint took all of two seconds,” explains Kelly, “but the spontaneous spillage of paint you see I created with three or four weeks’worth of embroidary.

“Nowadays we want things far too quickly – we want things now. I really wanted to create works that do take an awful lot of time and labour.

“There’s a juxtaposition there between what you perceive to be something happening really quickly, and something premeditated, planned and thought through.“

Her exhibition at Watford Museum’s Space2 Gallery is called Paint With Thread – and it’s the conflict between the paint of the fine art world and the thread of textiles that inspires much of her work.

“There’s always been a rebellious streak in me that’s out to prove something about textile art,“ says Kelly, whose love of textiles was sparked by knitting with her mum and gran as young girl in rural Wales.

“It’s not given the appreciation that traditional mediums are given. It’s perceived as a bit quaint, craft-like, homely and domesticated. I’m always on a crusade for textile art!“

Each piece is incredibly labour intensive, the largest taking three and half weeks’ worth of 10-hour days.

“When you know something’s going to take an awful long time to create you have to surrender yourself,“ says Kelly. “You’ve got to roll with it. It’s constant embroidery!“

The works are impressive and demand close attention – initial appearences are deceiving. Visitors are sure to leave with a greater appreciation of the often overlooked artform.

“The textile part of each piece is defacing the traditional fine art of oil paintings,“ adds Kelly. “It’s a bit of a ‘stuff you’ to the art world. It’s the forefront that deserves the respect.“

Paint With Thread is at Space2 Gallery, Watford Museum until April 27. Kelly is running a workshop where she’ll share her freestyle machine embroidery technique on April 6 from 10am to noon. Details: 01923 232297, www.kellyandjenkins.webs.com