Val's visit to India

 

A special treat for us today when Val showed us some of the lovely textiles she had collected during her travels around central India earlier this year. India must be an absolute feast for anyone like us who love cloth, colour and pattern and as Val explained she found it difficult to select, there was so much choice.  One good thing is obliging shopkeepers will ship your purchases home.  With an eye for fabric decoration and local handicrafts Val showed us examples of block printing, tie dying, hand stitching and patchwork, some of which had been made into garments and bags.

An important part of the trip was a visit to The Calico Museum in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, home to five centuries of textiles and regarded as one of the finest in the world. Sadly photography is forbidden, even of the buildings and there are no postcards to buy.  A great disappointment for those who will probably never get the chance to visit.

What is Val going to do with her collection?  Maybe they will inspire her next body of work or maybe she will treasure them as reminders of a wonderful holiday.  Thank you Val, if only we could all go!   Jen                                                                                                                                          

Val Jackson's talk about her MA Textiles

Mapping the Interface between Two Contrasting Identities

the troussseau

We have been treated to a fascinating talk by Val Jackson, one of our members who has just completed an MA in Textiles at MMU.  Val's area of study was based on her Mother and her two contrasting identities she had as a member of the WAF and then that of a 'typical' wife/mother during the 1950's.  Supported with boxes of artefacts her Mother had carefully stored, Val had plenty to refer to, including her trousseau!

During the two years Val used the Irish machine, multi head and digital printing and was able to extend her skills.  She created banners and lengths of fabric, learnt pattern cutting and styled garments from the time.  Detailed journals and sketchbooks gave a wonderful insight into her thought processes and hinted at the heavy demands of an MA.



We all thoroughly enjoyed the talk and eagerly wait to see what comes next in Val's work.  Congratulations on the achievement and thank you Val.                                                                                

                                                                                  Jen