Blog Archives

Introducing Jane Falls, Liz Howlett & Sue Norgrove-Moore

29/4/2024

This is the second of our Introductions to the nine textile artists of Curious Threads. We asked Why do you work with textiles?

Jane Falls
The allure of working with textiles lies in its tactile nature and versatility. Through the mediums of fabric, dyes, threads, and intricate stitching, I find the freedom to express abstract concepts. Each piece serves as a personal exploration and interpretation of a chosen theme or subject. My intention is to create art that resonates emotionally and evokes a positive response in the viewer.
While I initially embraced traditional quilting as a foundational technique, I soon felt its constraints and sought greater artistic freedom. This led me to delve into contemporary quilting techniques, and subsequently, to explore the realms of dyeing, screen printing, breakdown printing, and mixed media. These explorations have been transformative, reshaping my artistic vision and firmly establishing my work within the realm of textile art.

@marionjanefalls

Liz Howlett
Textiles captivate me with their limitless potential for creativity. I combine various techniques such as stitching, dyeing, natural dye processes, painting, printing, and incorporating paper, mixed media, and found objects to create unified textile artworks. The tactile qualities of textiles allow me to explore three-dimensional forms, adding a tangible depth to my creations.
Beginning with traditional quilting, my artistic journey has evolved to embrace contemporary and art quilts, predominantly crafting smaller pieces intended for wall display. My exploration then expanded into the realm of three-dimensional art, where I experiment with a fusion of contemporary and avant-garde techniques. I am continually driven by the endless creative possibilities that each material presents.

@jolijoge

Sue Norgrove-Moore
Textiles captivate me for their dynamic 'life'; they move, ripple, and bend, offering tactile experiences unlike flat canvases. From rich velvets to intricate knots, textiles' versatility in colour and design manipulation is boundless.
Though rooted in traditional quilting, my journey has evolved towards contemporary textile art, driven by a passion for texture. Why limit art to flat dimensions when depth beckons? Over time, I've embraced diverse techniques, experimenting with found materials and fabric manipulations.

@textile_treasures

Jane Falls

Sue Norgrove-Moore

Introducing Alison Livesley, Liz Maddock and Amelia Leigh

22/4/2024

This is the First in our series of introducing our Curious Threads contemporary textile artists. We asked everyone what it was that drew them to working with textiles

Alison Livesley
My art journey in textiles was serendipitous, initiated by a spontaneous decision to join an evening quilting class.
I was initially drawn to crafting traditional quilts, but my artistic interests soon evolved towards contemporary techniques. I ventured into fabric printing, dyeing, and designing bespoke patterns. My creative journey took a transformative turn when I became part of Christine Chester's Studio 11 community in 2017, where I was introduced to a diverse spectrum of mixed media techniques embraced by textile artists.
@alisonlivesley

Liz Maddock
The tactile allure of textiles, particularly natural fabrics, resonates profoundly with me. I enjoy the intricate problem-solving required to convey my artistic vision through cloth, a challenge I find unique to this medium. I'm captivated by the intricacies of dyeing, printing, and painting techniques. Engaging with textiles provides me with a deep sense of fulfilment and serves as a heartfelt connection to my grandmothers, who were both skilled weavers.
I'm currently delving into the fusion of mixed media with textiles, pushing the boundaries of my artistic exploration. I've discovered a penchant for crafting abstract pieces that aim to capture the essence or emotion of a place. My artistic inclination leans towards creating vibrant works that radiate joy. I've embraced an eclectic approach to art, celebrating diversity rather than adhering to a singular style.
@ lizmaddocktextileart

Amelia Leigh
I am a textile artist with the unique blend of Mexican and British heritage. Having lived in various countries worldwide, I have absorbed diverse influences and cultures, shaping the artist I am today. I am deeply captivated by urban architecture, spanning both contemporary and historical designs. Additionally, I hold a keen interest in human experiences and the profound impact of politics on our lives.

See all our artist’s work at ‘Spirit of Place’ exhibition, 6-16 June 2024 Sullington Manor farm, Sullington Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AE.
@curious_threads

Alison Livesley - 6 months on the South Downs

Liz Maddock

Amelia Leigh

Colour Challenge

15/4/2024

Our groups' Colour Challenge is based upon the book ‘The Secret Lives of Colour’ by Kassia St Clair. It delves into the captivating tales behind 75 intriguing shades and hues, ranging from the brown that influenced battles, to the white guarding against the plague. Kassia St Clair explores the history of colours and their impact on fashion, politics, art, and war and the colourful tapestry of human civilization. We were each randomly allocated a colour to interpret in our own way.

Terre Verte
Terre Verte is a transparent colour of varying hues depending on its mineral make up.  It is also described as a ‘rather unloveable pigment’, which is hardly inspiring!

I’m playing with layers of green to reflect this idea of transparency.  Artists used to paint pink over Terre Verte to create the skin tones of Europeans, leaving a ghostly appearance when the pink layer faded.  I’ll be including pink, but in a more vibrant way.
Liz Maddock

Minium Orange.
This colour dates back to Medieval times and was used to create illuminated letters in ancient manuscripts. My piece draws on this, and techniques I learnt in Claire Benn’s amazing “Write on” course, all about incorporating text in textile work.
Alison Livesley

Tyrian Purple
My colour was Tyrian Purple, the “dye” was obtained from a type of marine snail which was prevalent in the Mediterranean. At the height of its use it was worth more than its weight in gold.
The snails were killed to extract the pigment, and eventually their numbers began to shrink, until they finally were extinct. There is still a similar snail which also produces the pigment in an island off Mexico. However, it is reported that the snails are not killed, but “milked”. How can a snail be milked, I haven’t been able to find!
The colour varies from a purple to an intense red, depending on the conditions of treatment and weather. I used those two colours in my piece."
Amelia Leigh

Cobalt Blue.
I loosely based my piece on the Cobalt sky looking up through colourful washing lines in Venice. In the end I didn't take anything from the reference in the book.
Linda Hoddy

Blonde
It’s hard to conceive of Blonde as a colour in its own right. Usually, it’s a descriptor of something else. Wood perhaps or more obviously hair. And that’s what I went with - exploring textiles as hair.
Liz Howlett

Vermillion
My colour is Vermillion, a colour once as costly & precious as gold. The inspiration for my piece comes from the Villa dei Misteri with its Vermillion walls and large window which looked out to the Gulf of Naples.
Sue Sherwood

Silver
Silver represents so many diverse ideas. It can be precious yet is also seen as a ‘runner-up’ colour to gold. It can be beautifully smooth, but often is highly textured. It can be seen as traditional, and yet has been used to symbolise the future (think 60’s fashion & space suits). I’ve used it to explore the textures of a well-lived life.
Sue Norgrove-Moore

Woad
An ancient source of blue, which actually ranges from almost purple to almost grey. After some experiments with the purple end of the spectrum I have returned to delve in the mid-blue subtleties it offers.
Jane Falls

Celadon
Celadon is both a colour and a glaze for Chinese porcelain ceramics made over the centuries where small amounts of iron oxide in the glaze on firing, result in the varied hues. The colour reminiscent of ‘woodland fog’ is a pale blue green which varies hugely from light to dark green and light to dark blue and ocres.    It is muted and understated and combines the tanquility and serenity of blue with the sense of growth and renewal of green.

The inspiration for my Celadon piece comes from my interpretations of patterns and marks contained within a variety of Chinese celadon ceramics.
Sue Duncan

All the Colour Challenge pieces will be on display at Curious Thread’s exhibition ‘Spirit of Place’ from 6th-16th of June 2024 at Sullington Manor Farm, Sullington Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AE

Liz Howlett - Blonde

Sue Norgrove-Moore - Silver

Sue Duncan - Celadon Colours from Sotheby

Alison Livesley - Minium orange

THE THEME OF ‘SPIRIT OF PLACE’

8/4/2024

We chose Spirit of Place as the theme of Curious Thread’s summer 2024 exhibition (June 6th-16th 2024) for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it was inspired by the exceptionally beautiful location of our venue, Sullington Manor Farm, near Storrington. This is a historic settlement, nested just north of the South Downs. A mixed farm with over 250 acres, it has some of the most beautiful old buildings in the area. The agricultural barns, the parish church and the house all are iconic and are typical of local vernacular architecture, a perfect example of ‘Spirit of Place’. For more information on Sullington please see another of our blog posts dated April 1st.

However, another reason for this title was that we felt it encompassed the work of members of Curious Threads. Curious Threads are a collective of nine textile artists, each with their own style but bound together by the joy of their art and the desire to develop ideas further. Each artist has their own ‘Spirit of Place’. For some, like Alison, this is the beauty of the South Downs, for Amelia Leigh, city architecture is a main feature (albeit in abstract form) and Linda Hoddy features Venice. Sue Norgrove-Moore, explores walls as barriers, protectors and confinement.

However, the title does not just relate to the physical environment. ‘Spirit of Place’ can relate to places within our own heads – how we feel, sense and explore.

Our challenge for this year was to create a work based on colour – as placed in its historic and cultural environment – another use of ‘Spiritof Place’.

Finally, our collective installation features 6-foot-long hangings, made from recycled linen, each celebrating the beauty of the Sussex Downs.

Spirit of Place at Sullington Manor June 2024

1/4/2024

Curious Threads are looking forward to welcoming you to Sullington Manor Farm between 6 and 16 June 2024 for our latest textile art exhibition “Spirit of Place’.

Curious Threads is a group of nine contemporary textile artists; Jane Falls, Sue Duncan, Linda Hoddy, Liz Howlett, Amelia Leigh, Alison Livesley, Liz Maddock, Sue Norgrove-Moore, Sue Sherwood.

We are exhibiting in a very special place - Sullington Manor Farm, near Storrington in West Sussex. This has been a recorded settlement for over 800 years, with many historic buildings still surviving. It is set in a glorious location, at the foot of the South Downs, with beautiful views all around – a lovely backdrop to our exhibition and another reason to visit.

On the site are the Saxon church of St Mary’s which has ancient Yew trees in the churchyard, one believed to be over 1,300 years old and the large Grade II Listed 17th century Tithe Barn described by architect/author, Pevsner, as the ‘finest’ barn in Sussex.

The Old Workshop is the imposing backdrop to our exhibition. This is another impressive barn space. It was built around 1550 – 1600 as a ‘bonded barn’, designed to impress. It has a soaring ceiling supported by huge oak timbers and trusses. So, whilst visiting our exhibition, you can also enjoy the vernacular architecture.

Not to be missed, at the rear of the Old Workshop, is a café, with its own courtyard, serving tasty lunches, snacks, and cakes. All are home-made and ingredients are sourced as locally as possible (including vegetables grown at Sullington).
What better way is there to round off your trip to our ‘Spirit of Place’ exhibition by Curious Threads between the 6 and 16th of June 2024?

Follow our blog here for the run up to the exhibition over the next few weeks.

Sullington Manor Farm, Sullington Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AE

@curious_threads
www.curiousthreads.co.uk

Introducing Jane Falls, Liz Howlett & Sue Norgrove-Moore

Introducing Alison Livesley, Liz Maddock and Amelia Leigh

Colour Challenge

THE THEME OF ‘SPIRIT OF PLACE’

Categories

Spirit of Place at Sullington Manor June 2024

Curious Threads

Archives

Categories