Lincolnshire Branch: Lincolnshire Branch Newsletter May 2011

Lincolnshire Branch Newsletter May 2011

On a recent stay in Scotland we visited The House for an Art Lover in Glasgow. As an admirer of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his equally talented wife, Margaret MacDonald, I had some idea of what to expect. However, the reality exceeded all my expectations. In 1901 the design was entered into a German competition which challenged architects to develop fresh and innovative ideas. It did not win, due to a technical detail regarding the plans, but was awarded a special prize for innovation and creativity. The house was not realised during Mackintosh's lifetime, and the vision and inspiration to actually build it only started in 1989 and was completed in 1996 by the City of Glasgow. It provided a huge challenge and learning process for the many artists and craftspeople who were involved, but the results are stunning. The white, restrained exterior is surprisingly modern-looking, while inside everything is specially designed for each room down to the finest detail. The dark entrance hall and dining room on the north side contrast with the bright, light music room on the south. This is dazzlingly white, with a series of six recessed bow windows which allow natural light to flood in. Mackintosh and his wife Margaret designed a vast number of pieces for this room, from stained-glass and metalwork to beautiful decorative panels and stencilled borders. The decorative panels in the recesses of the windows were beautifully embroidered by members of Glasgow Embroiderers' Guild. Many inspirational ideas here for design and use of colour! If ever you are in the area, I can thoroughly recommend a visit.
Another enjoyable visit was had by those of us who went to the 'Living Threads' exhibition and the Beetroot Tree at the end of April. Hilary Farley writes in more detail about this later in the Newsletter. Hilary also hopes to organise a trip to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, Birmingham, in August. Please give her your name if you would like to go. The response so far has been quite low. I remember a couple of years ago several members asked if we could have more outings. Well, if we go to FOQ, it will total three during this embroidery year!
If anyone has suggestions for future outings, please let myself or any member of the committee know.
With best wishes
Dee.

Branch Meetings

May 14th A day with Alysn Midgelow Marsden. In the morning: Tarnished Stitches and in the afternoon a mini-workshop. Kits for the mini-workshop will cost between £2.50 and £5, however some of you may have the materials needed: 12cm square of craft vilene and velvet; threads of various thicknesses; textured fabrics; shells, wood or stones (with holes in them) plus your basic sewing kit. If you do not want to take part in the mini-work shop you are welcome to bring your own work to do.
Information about her and her work can be found at www.artsderbyshire.org.uk/find_artist/minisites/alysn.mm/

June 11th Morning Inspiration from Japan a possible starting point for a personal piece for the regional exhibition in 2012 and an origami flower to make, please bring a basic sewing kit and some buttons and beads to decorate the centre of your flower.
Afternoon speaker, textile artist Liz Welch.
July 9th Mildred Higgins Day Guest Speaker Alison Mercer. This year's competition Colouritious
July 10th Alison Mercer - stitched sketchbooks.

Other Dates for your Diary
May 21st Regional Day Lutterworth speaker Jean Littlejohn.
July 15-17th Summer school BGC Lincoln Dionne Swift; Carol Naylor; Christine Benson and Owen Davies. See noticeboard for more details.
Regional Kimono Workshops
Sunday 12 June Silk painting with Dora Mack
Sunday 19 June Shibori and Indigo with Pam Keeling
Sunday 3 July Sashiko with Margaret Shah
Sunday 31 July Japanese Embroidery with Sylvia Winn
Sunday 14 August Stencilling with Ann Hammond
Kegworth Community Centre Derbyshire. Places are limited to 15 and cost £25. Further details from Pam Keeling 01332 523469 or subject Kimono and send to egkickstart@yahoo.co.uk

11th August The Festival of Quilts Birmingham
Hilary is hoping to organise a trip to this excellent show, if you are interested please let her know.
We leave at 7.45am and return home at 4pm Free parking at coach yard. Cost for the trip £29.
East Midlands Region of the Embroiderers? Guild. Kickstart 2011-12 This year's theme is Movement Muscle and Metabolism an investigation into all things sporty.
Artist Inspiration Days:
Risley Village Memorial Hall Derbyshire
Saturday 25th June 2011 Graeme Reed http://www.graemereed.co.uk/ page4.htm And Sunday 26th June 2011 Jo Owen http://www.aliveandstitching.co.uk/ joowen.htm
Asfordby Parish Hall Leicestershire
Saturday 23rd July Andy Gilbert www.andygilbertcartoons.co.uk
Sunday 24th July 2011Janine Pope http://www.mudrabbit.co.uk/Kickstart2011-12
As well as the artist-led workshops Pam Keeling will be running further Development days:
Saturday 17th September 2011 Swinford, Leicestershire
Sunday 2nd October 2011Dunholme Village Hall Lincolnshire
Plus a further Advice day on Sunday 11th March 2012 Ollerton, Nottinghamshire
To qualify to exhibit in the Kickstart exhibition, participants are required to attend at least one of the days on offer; you may book on more if you wish. The cost of the Inspiration, Development and Advice Days will be £28 per person per day.
Booklet launch at the East Midlands Festival of Stitch 21st May 2011 Lutterworth College.
For further information contact Tel: 01629 584487 Penny Marsden

June 25th to July 4th 2012 Lincolnshire Embroiderers'Guild exhibition Cathedral Inspirations and Other Work at Lincoln Cathedral.

Back to Basics?
At the April meeting, it was a refreshing change to do Canvaswork with Barbara and Jane, although I was quite surprised to hear that some members felt out of their comfort zone. Surely Canvaswork is one of the basic techniques embroiderers learn?
I joined the Croydon branch of the Embroiderers' Guild in the mid seventies, and still have a Needle Book in Canvaswork made from a workshop with Moyra McNeill.
Are we neglecting the basics, e.g. Blackwork, Canvaswork, Goldwork, Pulled work, Whitework etc., in favour of so called modern and innovative work? I have always understood that if a piece is stitched it is Embroidery but if it is glued it is Collage.
The exercise with Nicky Dillerstone may have been a design method, but it was not Embroidery. We have had speakers who claim to be textile artists but do not use fabric. These speakers are often interesting to listen to, but I personally do not want to participate in every technique we hear spoken about. In my opinion, the so called mini-workshops of over 50 members are not workable for the tutor, the students and the subject.
I may of course, be considered an old "fuddy duddy" who hasn't moved with the times. Whatever one does in life, preparation is always important and basic stitchery is surely the equivalent of learning to walk before attempting to run. I feel we are losing sight of Stitchery.
Doreen Hallett

Note from the editor; The committee always try to put together a balanced programme to suit all levels and tastes in both textiles and embroidery. Any suggestions from members as to the programme content are always welcome and considered. We know that we have a wealth of talent in our branch and that you have lots of ideas, so share your skills and ideas with us! The committee is very happy to give you any support you may need to deliver your activity. Please give your suggestions to Hilary Farley or any member of the committee. BF

Linda Miller
I was impressed by Linda Miller's talk. She is very inspiring! Though her work was not my cup of "tea" her enthusiasm was quite infectious. I wanted to set to as soon as soon as we got home!
The samples & slides she brought were unique, a very talented lady. I enjoy the company of the group & am glad to be developing in such good company.
Gerry Souter

Workshop with Linda Miller 17th April 2011
The weather continued to tempt us into the garden but we had a thoroughly enjoyable day working with Linda. She had a clear target that we should all go home with a completed or near-completed item. Even in my case that proved to be achievable. Her teaching style was very clear and measured and she was generous with all sorts of hints and suggestions for work. So clear was she about the order in which things were to be approached that several pennies dropped in my mind during the day.
I came to the conclusion that her techniques offer us the opportunity to produce very personal and perhaps quirky items as gifts and mementoes in a very do-able way. I see that like so many people I have applied the term "quirky" which is echoed in the article about Linda in the latest edition of Embroidery magazine. Even though many of us were working on the same item there was plenty of evidence of our individuality in the end products. Also by taking us step by step through the process Linda has enabled us to undertake further masterpieces on our own. Linda shows in her work that she is a close observer of weather and the natural world and was talking about the big skies of Lincolnshire. We may see them in her stitching in the future.
Carolyn Merry

Traditional Japanese Embroidery.
Peggy Tacey has recently had an exhibition of her work on traditional Japanese embroidery at the Carre Gallery, Sleaford. She is from Fulbeck and has been stitching in this style for 16 years. She had over 30 pieces of this highly prescribed technique on display. The skills she used were goldwork with silk embroidery and ranged from the lowest level of skill ? 1 up to 10, the highest. Most of the designs were of a Japanese theme and designed by The Master, Shuji Tamura and all were stitched in silk and metal threads.
Watching her at work was fascinating. The piece she was working on had been started a year ago and as she removed the cover she asked us not to talk whilst we were close to her as even a small amount of spit would damage it!! We remained silent and awestruck with the preciseness of it. The Teko-bari technique of stroking the silk thread to ensure it laid flat was like watching Tai chi but with a needle. It is a most exquisitely beautiful form of embroidery and she plans a further exhibition sometime next year in Louth and I hope that our branch will consider inviting her to show and talk about her work at a future meeting. (We did have her to speak a year or so back, she brought in some exquisite work and was a lovely lady. Editor). It was truly beautiful.
The Hub also had some interesting exhibitions that were worth a visit. Dozens of pairs of Vivienne Westwood shoes were on display and were intriguing and witty. On another floor of the Hub, Gateway 2011 (that continues until 12 June) was a mixed exhibition of craft designers and contained porcelain, woven willow, silk paper and flowers, brooches, handmade paper, wood, textiles, and more.
Joan Panton

EXTRAVAGANZA - WEDNESDAY 27TH GUILD OUTING
A visit to remember, as expected, the textile art was superb. We were all inspired, especially by the way that the work was tastefully mounted and displayed, something for us to take on board for our Cathedral inspirational exhibition next year. The Living Threads group was formed in 1983, having now a membership of 70 textile artists. Beaders, embroiderers, felt makers, lace makers, quilt makers, rug makers and weavers. All are prepared to produce innovative work. We came home with a list of artists that we all enjoyed and hope to invite to our guild. Please note the new website www.livingthreadstextileartists.com. We went on to the Beetroot tree Gallery that is to be found in a Jacobean barn. Opened in December 2003, it aims to show contemporary art, craft, and good design. A very pleasant place where people can wander in and eat lunch or just have a coffee, surrounded by art and craft. The newspaper bags we were given to wrap our purchases were made by the street children in India from recycled Indian newspapers. An organisation started in 2004 by street children who wanted to give something back in return for the opportunities which allowed them to escape desperate circumstances. www.thebeetroottree.com Thank you to Dee who organised the day and looked after us all very well, and Dee?s husband Michael who volunteered to drive us, most carefully. Thank you, we all had a lovely day
Hilary Farley

OTHER TRIPS
Ingham Art Group Trip to Patchings
Ingham Art Group is organising a trip to Patchings Art, Craft and Design Festival on Thursday 9th June. Cost, including admission, is £16.50. Anyone interested should contact Mike Jackson on 01522 730784 for further details.
Ruddocks of Lincoln Coach Trip
To Patchings art and design festival, on Sunday 12th June 2011 a coach is leaving Casketgate outside Ye Olde Crown at 9.30am and leaving from Patchings at 4.00pm. the cost is £19 concessions £18. To The Royal Academy Summer show on 19th July 2011 leaving as above at 7.30am and leaving London at 4.30pm the cost is £30 per person. Further information and bookings please contact Ruddocks on 01522 528285, ask in store or at www.ruddocksoflincoln.co.uk.
Hilary Farley

'LOSING THE THREAD' an exhibition by Louise Gardiner.
For the last 7 years I have been living and establishing a contemporary embroidery practice in a studio in Bristol. Then in May 2010 I left Bristol and embarked on a 'Worldwide Stitchery Witchery Tour', including a three month teaching tour of New Zealand for the Association of Embroiderers' Guilds. I have now returned to Styal, Cheshire, where my family have farmed for 5 generations to launch a new exhibition space for the National Trust, at Quarry Bank Mill, a place I have visited and walked around all my life. At 'Losing the Thread' I will show approximately 25 recent embroideries and limited edition prints. It will be a chance to see what I have been up to now that I am back up north and have a studio in Manchester but also to see the beautiful mill in this unique and pretty setting full of textile and industrial history Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Cheshire. Sunday May 8th to Sunday September 11th.

The Nicholson Group
The Nicholson Group was originally founded by Margaret Nicholson and the group has now been running for over 40 years. Anthea Godfrey, Margaret's daughter mentors the group. We meet 5 times a year in Allington Village Hall near Grantham and have members from a number of the East Midlands Branches. We are currently working on embroideries and textiles to exhibit in Newark and Lincoln during 2012. We are currently looking for new members, if you are interested and would like to find out more, please contact Cathie Young for more information.

THANK YOU
To all the members who have contributed to this months' newsletter, it is not possible to produce it without your help! If you have made a visit to somewhere interesting, read a good book, enjoyed a workshop or been to an exciting textile exhibition share it with other members.
Bronwyn