Next Exhibition

What a lovely invitation!  It is all thanks to Grazyna who has created this special invitation for our next exhibition coming up soon! 

Art in Action - first visit!

Getting quite excited, only one day left until my very first visit to Art in Action.  I know lots of people who have been before and it comes highly recommended!

Established in 1977, (I was only 11 years old then!) the four day event continues to grow in success.  Hosted by Waterpenny House, near Oxford, I hear it is very well run, well attended and has an amazing atmosphere.
This year it starts Thursday 21st July and continues until Sunday 24th July.
http://www.artinaction.org.uk/what-is-art-in-action

The programme looks stunning with over 170 artists from various disciplines, demonstrating their skills and over 100 artists/designers/makers selling their work in the market.  Then there is the house and gardens, a variety of live music and dance performances, story telling etc........  I know one day will not be long enough!!

I'm particulalry looking forward to seeing textile artists Dionne Swift, Roanna Wells and Pat Hodson as well as the installation by Rebecca Glover, glass by Rachel Welford and Paperworks/books by Sarah Morpeth.
Oh and not forgetting the artist who gave me my very first job - David Firmstone!

My mouth is watering with the thought of so much creativity in one place!
http://www.dionneswift.co.uk/
http://www.roannawells.co.uk/
http://www.pathodson.co.uk/
http://www.rebeccaglover.co.uk/
http://www.rachelwelford.co.uk/
http://www.sarahmorpeth.com/
http://www.davidfirmstone.com/

If you are going too .......ENJOY !!                Bridget

Bees in Manchester

The flowers in my garden have been beautiful this year, probably all down to the warm spring.  Unfortunately many have been battered this weekend with the heavy showers but it was good to look back over my photographs and remember the tall fox gloves and the heavy headed pink poppies that spread like weeds but create a wonderful splash of colour.  Great plants for attracting the bees.

I discovered yesterday that simple gold coloured linear images of bees are scattered around Manchester and are apparently a symbol of the city that was adopted during the Industrial Revolution.  It was during a guided walk that I had joined to look at the magnificent architecture, when I kept coming across the symbol on small black posts used to direct and protect pedestrians.

The bee denotes Mancunians hard work during the Industrial Revolution and how Manchester was a 'hive' of activity during this period! 
How many times do we walk with a purpose, head down, on a mission and miss so much?  The walk was part of  Manchester's Festival and it certainly helped open my eyes to what is above my head!  Jen

MMU degree show

 Some seven years after completing my degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, I still get a pang of excitement when I enter the Cavendish Building.  I loved the whole experience, the journey, with all its' challenges and rewards. The journey was hard work and at times stressful, trying to meet deadlines and juggle family life too but it helped steer what was a life long passion into a something more worthwhile.  Stitch for me is no longer just about the technique, it has become a tool for expressing my thoughts and ideas. Paper has become my 'fabric'.

The 2011 Embroidery degree show has just finished and as always did not fail to delight.  Probably less stitch and less of the decorative than I have seen in past shows but non the worse for that.  When I was in my final year, we spent nine months working towards the final outcome and no it doesn't always come together in time!  The final show is only a snippet of what has gone before and hopefully the spring board for further creativity. I wish all the students well for the future.   Jen

Baskets

I've just had a few days in London catching up with family and of course taking in some of the major exhibitions but it isn't these I want to talk about.  It was one I stumbled across by accident when I was at the British Museum, 'Baskets and belonging: Indigenous Australian histories' which is on until early September and well worth a visit.  The museum is celebrating an Australian season and as well as baskets, there are Australian plants and lanscape in the forecourt and a selection of drawings and prints by Australian artists.

I love baskets, the careful selection and manipulation of fibres worked with great skill and dexterity to create a form that can be both functional and beautiful.  The ones displayed are all from the museum's collection, supported with text explaining something about their history.  Sadly no photography but I have included one of my own images from a beginners workshop I did last year in Alsager with Christine Redstone at the Redstone Centre.  Mine is on the right, the one looking like a bad hair day!  It was a fun weekend but I concluded to do it properly I would need a large studio with plenty of storage space for materials!!   Jen

Moving On

It took three of us, an hour yesterday morning to take down the exhibition at Jobling-Gowlers and pack it all up.  Not that we didn't have many pieces to pack but it was more attributable to the system we use in Cheshire Textiles!  The wall pieces go into bubble wrap packaging or simple cotton bags and then into more substantial padded bags which all must be labelled with the artists name and name of the piece.  It is a bit nit picky but it is a system that works and it avoids being left with a tiny bit of bubble wrap far too small for the last bit of wrapping.  Our packaging is always greatly admired, wonder if it could be part of an exhibition one day!!

It has been a lovely exhibition in Macclesfield and as mentioned before it has received some fabulous coments which is always a boost.  We even had some sales!!  Replacing us is Jobling-Gowlers open competition 'Plains and Peaks' which begins next Friday at the start of Barnaby, Macclesfield's festival.

Next stop is Buxton Museum and Art Gallery 'Mark in Stitch' which begins 10th September and runs until 12th November.  We are producing some new work, watch this space and I will keep you updated with our progress.   Jen

last opportunity!!

Our exhibition, 'Threads Together' currently at Jobling-Gowler in Macclesfield - follow the link for full address and details - is on its' final stretch!  The exhibition closes on June 10th.

I've included another image, this time of one of the cabinets which shows mainly Grazyna's vessels and Jenny's figures.  The vessels are fabric, some adorned with intricate pen and ink detail but at first glance it is easy to mistake them for ceramics.  Jenny's quirky figures make me smile, the ones shown here are brightly coloured and as always a lot of thought goes into choosing an appropriate and humorous title!

We haven't done touring exhibitions for some time but maybe Cheshire Textiles should consider this for the future.  A lot of work goes into each exhibition, pieces are carefully selected and it is a shame we can't share it with more people.          Jen