I am really delighted that my exhibition ‘Well Travelled’ from the Ruthin Craft Centre is now installed at the Harley Gallery in Welbeck, near Mansfield on the Harley Foundation estate. My thanks to the Directors and staff at Ruthin and the Harley for making it happen!

It has been been beautifully curated and is on until 12 March 2023. There is an upstairs drop in area ‘Patchworks of Places’ being set up for you to drop in and make a small piece of work for a community collaboration during the exhibition.

The exhibition is mainly the same exhibition from Ruthin with a few additions to replace sold work. The ‘Unfinished Journey’ canoe is once again the centrepiece of the show and I love the way that the curators have placed the paddle on top of it.

My dolls house series make an appearance again – and have attracted some small visitors already!

There are also a number of framed and unframed embroideries including ‘Europeans’, ‘World Bird Tree’, ‘Stay at Home’ and a new piece ‘Amazon Bird Tree’.

There are also five of the ‘Park Walk Books’ series – which hang together…

There are some glazed and unglazed pieces – larger glazed works ‘Australians’, ‘Black Forest Bird Tree’ some small unglazed ones from my ‘New England Folk’ series…

I’m also really pleased to be showing my little ‘Barge’ and ‘Zoom Family Casket’ for the first time…

‘Birds of Australia’ are also on show again:

Some gallery views:

I am giving an artist talk on 17 February after two short workshops geared at children – details on my website and the Harley Gallery’s too.

I’m also giving a one day ‘Moving Memories’ workshop at Hope and Elvis which is very close on the estate. You can book via their website.

It has been a while since I have posted here – it has been a very busy autumn with some lovely events and teaching throughout. I’ll give a short summary here as well as looking forward to 2023.

TEACHING

I am enjoying catching up with students at venues throughout the UK. I update my workshops page on a regular basis. I have listed residential workshops abroad at the top of the page and UK and day workshops further down. Workshops make a wonderful seasonal gift and there are spaces available on some of them for 2023.

I also teach online and courses that have availability are also listed on the page.

I have restocked my online shop with my embroidery templates, and they are suitable for stitchers of all levels of experience.

WRITING and SPEAKING

I was delighted to deliver the manuscript of my fifth book to Batsford recently. ‘Textile Portraits’ is due to be published in September 2023.

I was invited to sign books at the Embroiderers Guild stand at the Knitting and Stitching Shows in Harrogate which was a great experience and good to catch up with colleagues and students.

I have also given a number of talks to groups and guilds, and online and these will continue in 2023. Please contact me for availability.

EXHIBITIONS

I was pleased to have ’29 Sisters’ exhibited at the Knitting and Stitching Shows as part of the Embroiderers Guild ‘Collections’ exhibition.

‘Undersea’ was exhibited at the i360 in Brighton as part of the Sussex Contemporary inaugural exhibition.

‘Hidden Owl’ is part of Coo-Ee exhibition at the Timeless Textiles Gallery in Newcastle, Australia.

I was delighted to be interviewed by Fibrearts Take Two in Australia.

Now I am preparing for some exciting events in 2023 including my touring exhibition ‘Well Travelled’ at the Harley Gallery in Worksop, part of the Welbeck estate.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season … x

I am delighted to be showing a range of work based on the Travel theme – some from my ‘Well Travelled’ exhibition at Ruthin Craft Centre last year and a selection of Australian influenced pieces. The exhibition is with the Wednesday Makers Group at Timeless Textiles Gallery in Newcastle, Australia until 7 August.

The exhibition features a wonderful collaboration with the Wednesday Makers Group – they made a series of travel inspired postcards which look fantastic in the gallery.

It was really fantastic to be a part of the exhibition opening via Zoom. Time and distance didn’t seem to matter and it was great to engage with viewers of the show.

There was a lovely event this weekend also where participants drew an item from the exhibition on a postcard ‘Shine a Light’, and this is the example taken from my ‘Peacock Jacket’.

I have some large pieces in the show including my ‘Quarantine Quilt’ and ‘Australian Birds’ made with fabric gifted to me on my last visit in 2019.

There are also some of my ‘Park Walk Books’ dotted through the exhibition. They featured in my exhibition at Ruthin.

There are also smaller pieces, travel themed bags and garments.

There are also a few vintage pieces – like ‘Sophie Bianca’ a piece about my grandmother…

I’m looking forward to chatting with Anne and Wilma about the exhibition at the gallery online this week – our talk will be available later.

My next exhibition this year is at the lovely Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall from 27-29 August. I’m teaching there are there are some spaces available for the second day of courses. Details on their website. Courses with availability coming up are here.

It has been a really busy few months since I last blogged. I’ve been catching up on courses postponed due to the pandemic and new courses like this one at Hope and Elvis. The lovely Louise Asher is moving and I am looking forward to working with Wendy Shaw who is a great collector of vintage textiles – perfect ! New dates for 2023 coming soon. I’m also offering a version of this course at West Dean College in September . Places are available.

I am delighted to be showing new work and Australian themed work from my solo show ‘Well Travelled’ at Ruthin Craft Centre last year at Timeless Textiles Gallery in Australia with a collaborative project about travel postcards too. The exhibition is called ‘Travelled’. I’m planning a visit there in 2023 and ‘Well Travelled’ will also be touring in the UK – watch this space for new venues and dates.

These lovely hand made dolls were produced in a Kent Adult Education class recently by Helen Ott (left) and Ruth Lozano (right) at the new Amelia centre in Tunbridge Wells using their collections. I am doing another hybrid (online and in person) class there in the autumn, starting in September. There are a few places available here.

I finally made it to the lovely French General France Getaway that had been planned since 2020. It’s a wonderful venue near to Toulouse in the French countryside, beautifully curated and catered by Kaari, Mogull and their team. Thanks to them and the guests from week one – we had a memorable time.

I’m returning to France for several events in 2023, including to Pour l’Amour du Fil in Nantes. A new venue for me for a sketchbook based textile mixed media course is Studio Preniac next June.

Meanwhile I am off to Alex Waylett’s studio today for four days of teaching. I also have a busy few weeks in August, including a small exhibition at Cowslip Workshops – courses with spaces are here. Have a lovely healthy and happy summer all x

I was delighted to be photographed in my studio by renowned photographer Alun Callender in March, and very pleased that some of the shoot is featured in the current edition of ‘Embroidery’ magazine. The interview is about my practice and current events.

I have been teaching a very successful and oversubscribed series of courses online through Kent Adult Education during the last two years. I’m excited to be back in person for the month of May at the new Amelia Scott Centre in Tunbridge Wells which opens this week. Well worth a visit.

Also opening this week – The St Barbe Open, in Lymington. I have a piece of work in the show, which is on until June 4th.

I was down in the South West over Easter and was able to visit the lovely Court House Farm. I am giving a ‘Folk Garden’ retreat full of special events from 13 – 18 June. There are spaces available, booking through their website.

Closer to home, I am at the beautiful Bell Inn in Ticehurst, East Sussex, with Curious House Courses on May 9th, a few spaces available, book online.

I’m back at the wonderful West Dean College in May from 22-24 for ‘Stitchbooks’ – there are some places remaining. You can book online.

There are a few spaces available at the fantastic Hope and Elvis on 28 and 29 May on my new Pet Portraits course.

There are a very few spaces available on the amazing French General Retreat that I am tutoring on in France from 1-8 June, book online.

I’m looking forward to tutoring and exhibiting at the beautiful Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall. My ‘Birds’ course is sold out but there are spaces on ‘A New England Barn’ on 27 August.

There is an exciting trip to India planned with Bespoke India from 31st October to 17 November 2022. The brochure and details are on my workshop page.

I have just finished a lovely two week course with the textile.artist.org/stitchclub. ‘Inspiration Boards’ proved popular – here is mine based on Italian journeys.

As I write this the clocks have just gone forward and life continues, despite a terrible war in Ukraine and some turmoil here in the UK too. I was delighted to have raised almost £ 500 for Ukraine crisis charities through online auctions and sales from my website. I continue to send 10% of sales through it to the British Red Cross Ukraine appeal until the end of March.

I am pleased to be a judge for the wonderful Batsford Prize again this year. UK based students can apply now in your subject catgeory.

I’m delighted to be included in a lovely new book ‘Finding Your Thread’ published by Anne Kempton at Timeless Textiles Gallery in Newcastle, Australia. I’m also in the exhibition by the same name, on until 17 April. The book is beautifully illustrated, insightful and contains work by twenty international and invited artists.

I was really fortunate to have my portrait and studio shot by the amazing photographer Alun Callender recently. A selection of the photos will be appearing in print later in the year, more information to follow.

Recently a very few spaces on the previously sold out French General France Getaway from 1- 8 June this summer have become available. It’s a fantastic week of creativity, exploration and amazing food in a beautiful corner of southern France. You can see all the details on their website here.

I’m pleased to have a project in the current edition of ‘Simply Vintage‘ magazine. The ‘Lace Bird’ hoop project is included in this practical publication.

I write this with the current war in Ukraine dominating the news. My thoughts are with Ukranians, their relatives and friends, wherever they may be. Watching women and children fleeing on trains echoes and resonates with my family history. My father was nine when he and his brother were put on a train to London, fleeing the Nazi regime in Germany. The picture above is a folding book about my grandmother Sophie, and was made using a copy of her passport.

‘Europeans’, which was shown at my solo exhibition ‘Well Travelled’ at Ruthin Craft Centre last summer, is a composite piece repurposing the dresses I made to commemorate the lost women of my father’s family, originally exhibited at the Knitting and Stitching Shows in 2018. I made a new map of Europe and combined portraits of my family and words connecting us with travel, migration and belonging.

I am donating 10% of all sales from my online shop this month to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

I gave another workshop at Loop London last weekend on folk art, a very talented and hard working group. I also dropped off some new work (Lace Flower Houses) for sale in store and on their website.

I was pleased to see my course ‘House and Home’ at Curious House Courses in May in the current edition of Embroidery Magazine – places are available.

You can see a current list of all of my courses, residential and one day, with spaces, on my dedicated workshops page on this website.

I have also been giving talks in person and online – it is great to connect with groups new and old again – you can contact me directly if you are interested in booking a talk or workshop.

I was fortunate to see the wonderful Louise Bourgeois exhibition ‘The Woven Child’ at the Hayward Gallery in London recently. I thought I had seen much of her textile work in person or in books, but there were new surprises…

Whilst I was at the exhibition, I was pleased to see copies of ‘Unravelling Womens Art’ at the Hayward Gallery shop, as well as titles by Batsford authors too.

I’m delighted to be included in another book and exhibition organised by the wonderful Timeless Textiles, in Newcastle, Australia. ‘Finding Your Thread’ is a collection of contributors to the gallery over its past ten years. You can preorder it and attend a book launch, details here.

I am also exhibiting there again in the summer, a portion of my ‘Well Travelled’ show in an exhibition called ‘Travelled and Wednesday Makers Group’ – very exciting.

My book ‘Textile Travels’ is still proving popular and it is great to see it on sale in my travels around the UK – as here in London:

I am also delighted to be featured in the new edition of Maggie Grey’s WOW Book 8. It is called ‘Well Travelled’ after my exhibition of the same name last year at the Ruthin Craft Centre.

Samantha Packer and Michael Wicks did an excellent job of the interview and photographs in this twelve page feature.

I’m happy to see my work travelling again too. I’m in a group exhibition in Brisbane ‘One Red Thread’, organised by Berry Quilting Retreat.

I’m working on new pieces for a show at Timeless Textiles in Australia in the summer. I was gifted this map of Australia tablecloth and have added postcards from my last visit there in 2019.

I have also been working with some new workshop venues which will appear on my workshops page soon. I am looking forward to travelling to France in the summer with French General and Les Soeurs Anglaises. The French General workshop is full but there are a few spaces remaining with Les Soeurs – it looks like a wonderful venue:

Very exciting news ! I am working with a new company – Bespoke India Travel on a visit to India in November 2022. I have put the brochure below as well some snaps from previous visits. The company has many years of experience with Indian voyages and are fully bonded with the Travel Trust Association and ABTA.

some photos to whet your appetite

Of course all travel is subject to restrictions and it is a good idea to check with your provider before making final arrangements.

A bit closer to home, there are two spaces left on my ‘Folk Art Sampler’ course at Loop London on the 26th February.

It has been a very challenging year for everyone who is self employed again as events and teaching have been cancelled, postponed and rebooked. I have continued to teach and speak online throughout the year as well as finally honouring commitments from 2020 in person.

The highlight of the year for me has to be my solo exhibition ‘Well Travelled’ at Ruthin Craft Centre. It was very well received and reviewed in Embroidery Magazine by Ellen Bell. My thanks to Director Phillip Hughes and curators Jane Audas and Gregory Parsons. Elements of the exhibition will tour in this country and abroad over the next few years. Watch this space!

So many other highlights exhibition – wise this year including as invited artist at ‘Pour l’Amour du Fil’ in Nantes.

I also participated in the second exhibition of SEW artists in Rome.

My teaching took me back to some lovely venues including Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall, where I will be teaching and exhibiting this summer.

I was also thrilled to be a part of the ‘Ain’t the Archies’ international portrait exhibition in Australia at Timeless Textiles, in really good company. I am having a solo show there ‘Travelled’ later on in 2022.

My work has been featured in ‘Unravelling Women’s Art’, a new book by P.L. Henderson, recently published. It was great to be a part of the online launch at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London.

It has been great to return to the lovely Hope and Elvis and I am looking forward to my next visit…

West Dean College is a very special venue and always attracts interesting students to their wonderful campus. I was there twice this year and will be again next year – listings to follow in the new year.

This year I also taught at Loop London and am looking forward to returning next year. They have also been stocking some of my little pieces and books.

I loved visiting Scotland with ‘Wandering Craft Retreats’ and enjoyed working with a very talented group of women.

My collaborative work with the fantastic French General continues with a new kit and online course – the ‘Tree of Life’ class was a great success.

was also very pleased to be a part of the Embroiderers Guild NHS thank you project, shown at the Knitting and Stitching Shows, and the Mr. X Stitch Project for the British Textile Biennial shown at Blackburn Cathedral.

Thank you to all the curators, workshop organisers and supporters who have bought my books, my work, seen my exhibitions and attended courses. I hope you and your families have a wonderful 2022,

x Anne

I know how much my course participants have enjoyed getting back to working together’ in real life’ this year – it has been so good for everyone’s creative health and well being. A course is a wonderful gift and opportunity for a friend or loved one and I like to support small businesses and makers especially after the past two years. I am featuring my courses here that have spaces available – with examples of my work and student work on the theme. You can click on the highlighted links for a fuller description and to book your space.

Atelier Beside the Sea, Brighton, ‘A Vintage Coastal Scene’, 6 February 1 day

Loop London, ‘A Folk Art Sampler’, 26 February 1 day

Curious House Courses, Ticehurst, East Sussex , ‘House and Home’, May 9th 1 day

Alexandra Waylett, Essex, ‘A Vintage Garden Folding Book’ ,21 June 1 day

Les Soeurs Anglaises, France, ‘Moving Memories in Mixed Media’, 6-12 July, 6 days

Bath Textiles Summer School, ‘Mapping Your Travels’ , 25-26 August, 2 days

Cowslip Workshops, Launceston, ‘A New England Barn’, 27 August and ‘Birds’, 28 August – 2 one day courses

Sussex Prairie Garden, Henfield, ‘The Autumn Garden’, 15 and 16 September 2 half days, book directly with me.

Homemade Christmas gifts are always special and I have some suggestions:

My ‘Red Houses’ at Loop London and there are still a few of my badges left too…

New ‘Folk Fragments’ embroidery panels, (shown here worked) from my online shop where you can also browse some originals:

I am continuing to donate 10% of my sales of this book to my local foodbank.

Wishing you and your family and friends a happy safe and healthy Christmas

x Anne