16th June 2022 our speaker was Karen Rouine

Karen's life in Textiles was influenced by her grandmothers who knitted, patched, made aprons in gingham etc.

Karen knitted when here children were young and then got into cross stitchkits and creating pictures. Following on from a craft course she started City and Guilds but some of the aspects like dying etc did not appeal to her so she switched to a degree starting with a foundation course, This involved drawing however as Karen prefered the medium of stitch this is what she used throughout, even in the 'life drawing'.

For her major project she created 6 panels on dyed fabric taking her inspiration from her children and incorporating memories and work within pockets.

 

 

Following a teacher training course Karen has taught extensively 'on line' and has worked with a variety of base materials including paper. She works on small pieces making samples which she then combines into larger items.

 

 

Karen makes lace cloth taking scrim and machining over it to create the lace which she then embellishes by hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sample/ experimental pieces she creates are made into cloth books in which Karen embellishes the back of the work believing that both sides deserve to be seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She also buys books and embroiders into each page, while more recently she has used lace paper and bullion knots which she makes into loops to create work in white. 

 19th May 2022

'Textles - A Personal Journey' by Hayley Mills-Styles Textile Artist

Hayleys journey started aged 4 when her Grandmother taught her to knit, she moved on to embroidery teaching herself from the 'Anchor 100 stitches' book. Having always used hand embroidery she moved to digital embroidery for her Masters degree experimenting with the 12 needle machine to make a series of 'patches' from photos of the fabric on an old sofa.

 

 

 

 

Further exploration of the digital world led to the creation of a lacy cloth, she embroidered on Aquasol, which she then dissolved away to leave the final item.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayley has also worked with ferrous metals, found items from beach combing like fishing nets, metal rings etc. She likes the colours and experiments with work on wool fabric,rings and use of fishing twine to create 3D pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For her 10 years exhibition Hayley was artist in residence at Pannett Park a Museum in Whitby where she was inspired by natural history, fossils, skeletons eg Narwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayley works with various groups eg homeless, dementia those with mental health concerns etc, some of the work has been inspired by dance and also 52 pieces of embroidery including lungs etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She makes pincushions which are small, easy to make and portable, stitchscapes which are semi abstract landscapes using scraps of fabric and stitch and embroidered portraits. 

 

 Workshops

The next workshop will be 'Calico Gardens' delivered by Sue Morgan and will be on 16th and 17th June. 

16th June 1.00 - 3.30pm

17th June 10.00 - 3.30pm

 April 2022

 'Communication Through Textiles '  by Melanie Kay

This was an interesting and thought provoking presentation with a fascinating collection of examples of her work.

Melanie has a Textiles degree/masters and now teaches D and T in a school where she focuses on work with metal, electronics and stitch.

She has always been interested in words,lettering,bright colours and 'found' items which she patchworks together. At university she gravitated to working on metals like copper, peweter etc and decided for her degree project to focus on Gender, with the Metals traditionally being considered 'male' and the Textiles/stitch traditionally being regarded as 'female'.

Lettering,colour and images

Stitch on copper/metals

Metals, flowers and lace effect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melanie used found metal in the form of beer cans stitching them together and decorating them with flowers created using free machine embroidery. She then produced holes in the metal to achieve a lacy look to match with the flowers and added a 3D butterfly to complete the piece.

 

Social issues, patchwork,lettering

Flowers,lace,butterfly on metal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ideas and experimentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her work she draws images which she copies and sticks onto the cans, then applies stitch and finally 'sands off' print from selected areas to achieve finished result. Many of these link to health and social issues for example drink.

Melanie patchworks pieces of cans together and makes large 3 D items like lampshades. She has also made a selection of boxes - matches, cigarettes, chocolates,soap powder, jigsaws etc.

Jigsaw picture

Chocolate box

 

 

Match box - front

Match box - back

 17th March 2022

 

Our speaker was Bella May Leonard with a presentation 'Sculptural Stitch'

Bella studied embroidery gaining her BA Hons and worked as a Textile Artist, experimenting with stitch on various materials like acetate, to be able to see the front and back of the work; acrylic which allowed holes or designs to be cut out allowing lacing with shoe laces, washing line, plastic straws, cable ties many of which have been 'found' materials. 

A Residency in Mexico enabled her to experience the culture, weaving and embroidery and allowed for collaboration with print makers to explore patterns, textures and symbols. 

Bella's work reflects the cultures and materials which have inspired her.

Embroidery stitches

Acrylic with lacing

Inspired by Mexico and a hot water bottle, lino cuts used to print design and then embroidered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexican inspiration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cable ties and plastic

 

 

 

 

Stitch detail from Mexican man

Stitch detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini workshop 1.00 - 3.30 pm  Folk Art Designs on felt with Carrie and Trisha

 

 17th February 2022

Our speaker was Liz Cooksey with her presentation on ' Development of Ideas and  Influences ' this was all related to her work from its beginnings with a degree in embroidery and intention to focus on creation of her own work collection, through teaching and enabling others to work in textiles to the circumstances which prompted a re- evaluation and led to a return to creating her own work.

A selection of work illustrated her journey from machine embroidery,  drawing with the machine, with designs/ideas based on nature and natural forms, through hand stitching employing techniques of applique and collage, to crochet and drawing with wire.

The work on display demonstrated the inspiration of the natural world, seashore, landscapes, flowers, birds, particularly the textures, shapes, colour and patterns.

 

Crochet and wire to create flowers and leaves

Items displayed in handmade (by Liz) pottery vases

Selection of crochet, wrapped wire and embroidery

Experimentation with a selection of techniques