Exercise 1.3 Generate a folio of mark-making, drawing and visual response to the Archive selection. In each case, I’ve started with a drawing of the overall morphology of the item. The quote from our workbook from Frederick Frank, “I learned that what I have not drawn, I have not seen” really rang true as I … More Making Marks
Research Why are floral/leaf motifs so important, dominant or recurring in this artist’s work? Zoffany was founded in 1983 for the meticulous restoration of historic wallpapers from mere fragments for Temple Newsam House in Yorkshire (John Sandoe Books, 2017). The company has gone on to collect an archive of 17th and 18th century designs which … More Zoffany
Research Why are floral/leaf motifs so important, dominant or recurring in this artist’s work? Iris Oncocylus, 1996 Elizabeth Blackadder is a Scottish artist born in Falkirk in 1931. She is one of the “most prominent Scottish artists alive today” (Browse and Derby) and the first woman to be elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy … More Elizabeth Blackadder
Substance Materials The centre of the handkerchief is a lightweight cream/white coloured habutai-like silk. It has slight slubbing. One direction of the weave is more pronounced than the other. Microscopic examination: Silk reference. Handkerchief fabric. The threads of the knitted/crocheted lace edge are shiny and cream coloured. Each thread is made of many individual fibres. … More Substance and Story: Handkerchief
Exercise 1.1 Identify an archive and select three textile pieces to observe. As we are still in COVID-19 lockdown, I decided to use items from an old trunk that came from my husband’s paternal grandmother. The trunk was full of textiles, and many of the items were wrapped in newspaper dating from 1929, 1936 an … More The Archive
Substance Materials There is no maker’s label on the article. The body of the collar is either a cotton or linen voile, with a very fine, open weave that renders it semi-transparent. Close up of voile. Microscopic examination of the fibre shows that piece is made of cotton. The fibres show the characteristic twist of … More Substance and Story: Collar
Substance Materials There is no maker’s label on the article. The bed jacket is cream cotton voile, with a very fine, open weave that renders it semi-transparent. Microscopic examination of the fibre shows that piece is made of cotton. The fibres show the characteristic twist of cotton. Cotton reference. Jacket fibre. The threads of the … More Substance and Story: Bed Jacket
Roanna Wells Overview Roanna Wells is a Sheffield, UK based fine-artist. “My practice is an intuitive expression of quiet order, subtle structure and collected detail, which is offset by a curiosity into the spontaneous and accidental marks or residues of nature, human interaction and the hand made process.” (Wells, nd a). Brushmark Series Some of … More Roanna Wells
Debbie Smyth Overview “Debbie Smyth is textile artist most identifiable by her statement thread drawings; these playful yet sophisticated contemporary artworks are created by stretching a network of threads between accurately plotted pins” (Smyth, nd a). Her work takes the thread pictures of the 70’s into exciting new directions. HiConnect X Soho Myriad, 2015, detail. … More Debbie Smyth
Hilary Ellis Overview Hillary Ellis has a BA in Fine Art and a MA in Printmaking. She works from her home studio in Kent, and exhibits in the UK and internationally (Ellis, nd a). Works Making links to my drawings and generating ideas for approaching work. How do I begin to choose works, when Ellis’ … More Hilary Ellis
Kathryn Kerr 