UK weaver, Stacey Harvey-Brown and Agnes Hauptli, from New Zealand are exhibiting their responses to geological forms and natural landscapes in ‘Nature in The Making’.  The exhibition of stalactites, canyons and caverns, showcasing some highly unusual three-dimensional weaving and  visual images, will be at the Earth House, Peria New Zealand from 8th to 18th March 2014, before moving on to Arts in Oxford, just north of Christchurch, from 12th April to 7th May.

After its New Zealand leg, ‘Nature in the Making’ will go to the USA, to the B2 Fine Art Gallery in Tacoma, Washington before going on to other venues in the USA and Europe.

Since 2010, the two weavers have met in the US every two years to visit some of the geological features surrounding their biennial weaving conference locations. This exhibition was inspired by trips to the Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyons in Arizona, and the cave systems under the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Mountain ranges in Virginia. Agnes Hauptli uses a computer-assisted jacquard loom to create large visually engaging colour panels  and Stacey Harvey-Brown uses a shaft loom to create highly textured three-dimensional Growth Forms installations and large off-the-wall Strata Wall pieces. Continue reading →

The five Texprint 2013 weavers showcased their diverse collections at the Indigo trade show in Paris in September to great success. Three out of the four Texprint prize winners were weavers and two weavers were selected to take part in a 7-week internship programme in Como, Italy.

Signe Rand Ebbesens’ collection was given the Woolmark Award for her stunning fashion collections which use 60% or more merino wool. Signe’s collections of fabrics focus on hand craftsmanship, intricate structures and textures that change appearance and colour in the light. She sold her innovative designs to Lululemon Athletica and Nike and she in now working at Vanners silk mill as a designer.

Cherica Haye had a stellar few days in Paris – not only did she sell plenty of her designs, she also won the Texprint Pattern Prize and jointly won an internship in Vancouver with Lululemon Athletica, as well as taking part in a 7- week internship at a mill in Como. The judges celebrated Cherica’s collection for its extraordinary designs and attention to detail, which blend traditional weave structures with contemporary performance fabrics.

Elizabeth Ashdowns’ innovative mixed-media designs for Passementerie were shortlisted for the Texprint Pattern Prize. Her designs attracted considerable interest due to the level of exquisite hand craftsmanship, a bold and contemporary colour palette and the use of a wide variety of materials ranging from leather to bullion springs. Elizabeth sold work to Cassamance and has recently undertaken a commission to produce a bracelet.

Taslima Sultana won the Texprint colour prize for her collection of fabrics which have been inspired by how insects use colour, pattern and texture for survival, attraction and protection. Judge Tamsin Blanchard praised Taslima’s fabrics, commenting on her ‘incredibly rich and vibrant designs’ (Texprint 2013).

Ffion Griffith was awarded the Texprint Space prize for her collection of contemporary Welsh blankets and interior fabrics that blend rich colour and innovative pattern placement with traditional methods and techniques. Ffion was selected to take part in the 7-week internship in Como, and on her return to the UK she will be take up a position at Liberty of London’s Fabric Innovation department.

The winners of the prizes also exhibited their work at Intertextile Shanghai in October