July 17th - Imagined Seascapes - Amanda Hislop

Amanda started her talk by telling us that she started her textile life as a weaver. She the went on to teach art at a secondary school.

She is a member of the textile group Prism.

In 2019 she had her book Stitched Textiles - Seascapes published. In lockdown she re read her book as reassurance.

With this renewed inspiration, Amanda started to create sketchbooks and boards to bring seascapes into her studio

She was sent  a package to sample from Derwent which she used to develop ideas.

Amanda then adds stitch

Both by machine

and by hand

She finds working by hand better when she is demonstrating at exhibitions.

Amanda  then went on to show us some of her sketchbooks, both of imagined seascapes, but also of views from her daily walk.

She finished the afternoon by demonstrating her paint techniques and the finally how she added texture with wet strength tissue, threads and scrim

Thank you Amanda for an interesting talk and demonstration which gave us lots of ideas.

 

 July 3rd - Heather Everitt - Butterflies and Banners - My life in stitch

Heather started her talk by telling us that as her family had a small business she was brought up by her grandmother who taught her to sew.

After secondary school  she did an art foundation course and then followed that with a degree in Textile and Fashion. She had access to the Whitworth Gallery which gave her inspiration with the historical work.

In her final degree show she was approached by someone who suggested she make Masonic Banners

She had various outlets for her work after university including making hats and bespoke cushions.  

However this was a precarious existence so she decided to become a primary school teacher, as the art coordinator

The Masonic banners continued with both restoration work and also commissions

As well as the banners , Heather started doing work based on nature, including clothing commissions

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Whilst doing this work, Heather visited the Royal Albert Memorial museum ( RAMM) where she started to study butterflies and moths

She was then encouraged to try and get access to Liberty of London but was unsuccessful first time round

However after her butterflies were used on wedding outfits and then displayed at the Devon Guild Contemporary Craft Festival 

she was put in touch with the Liberty buyer who asked her to make 8 butterflies initially and she was asked to demonstrate there. Her butterflies are mounted on maps relative to the butterflies natural habitat location.

She is also now doing other insects for Liberty

Heather conclude her talk by gong through the process from drawing and painting to construction

She has work in many publications

and recently has been mainly selling on line

  

and has reached people through social media.

Heather has now got work in the RAMM where she gained her initial inspiration

With the current situation her workshops have been curtailed  ......

... so with a friend they have developed some kits 

Thank you for a fascinating talk Heather and we wish you success with your future ideas