'At a Tangent' - Oldham Gallery until 11 April

The 62 Group of professional textile artists includes many with established international reputations. The members’ individual aims are not only to extend their practice by making more expressive work but also to widen viewers’ horizons of their field. Each explores diverse current social, domestic and personal issues.

‘At a Tangent’ at the Oldham Gallery underlines a divergence away from the predictable, as members of The 62 Group take textile art into new and challenging territories. Their message is that textile art should not be ‘comfortable’. The touching point of the tangent is the materials with which the artists work; fibres and filaments such as threads, cane, paper and metal.

In 2012, The 62 Group will celebrate its 50th Anniversary. This exhibition demonstrates the group’s energy and vitality, and their continuing determination to produce innovative, exciting work.

Project eARTh

These textile wrapped chairs emerged from workshops as part of Project eARTh.

The participants worked with artist Amanda Whewell and also tied in with some outdoor sessions in which the group made an oak bench and a living willow arbour for the wildlife garden in Granby Road Park, Fairfield, Buxton.

The group took inspiration from the 'willow pattern' and chose a blue and white colour scheme. They experimented with paper and fabric weaving, this led to the idea of wrapping some branches with fabric and ultimately the furniture.

Chairs had been chosen so the group could create indoor as well as outdoor seating (the oak bench). The group also tie-dyed fabric to use and combined this with with other found fabric and yarns for the chairs. Red was introduced as a contrast colour on one chair. To accompany the chairs the group also created contemporary wall hangings.

If you would like to see the finsihed chairs they are on display at New Mills Original.

Rolf Harris - Manchester

I'm really looking forward to meeting Rolf Harris next Sunday in Manchester for a preview of his new wildlife collection.

He's been a hero of mine for many years and his signed photograph sits proudly on the wall of my studio at home.

For more details follow this link

Buxton Art Trail

This weekend as part of the Buxton Festival Fringe 2010 Buxton will be hosting the Buxton Art Trail at 34 venues throughout the town - maps will be available at various places around the town and from the Opera House. 

I will be at 'Nats Kitchen' on Market Street where I will be displaying some of my recent work created in conjunction with my projects at Manchester University.

Hope to see some of you there.

Profusion at Calke Abbey

In July I will be at Calke Abbey as part of the Profusion exhibition talking to visitors who will be there to view artwork from a whole host of acclaimed International artists including :


Anna Barham • Karla Black • Marcel Broodthaers
Lucy Clout • Clem Crosby • Jimmie Durham
Mark Fairnington • Doug Fishbone • Martino Gamper
Roger Hiorns • John Plowman • Daniel Silver
Harald Smykla • Jack Strange

The exhibition runs from 19 June through to the 11 July and is set to be a really popular event

Amandas Summer Workshops

A new set of exciting workshops starts next Thursday at New Mills Original - they can either be booked as a set or as individual sessions - this week I am in Stockholm and finding some inspiration in the many galleries and vintage shops in the city... I look forward to seeing you next week.

TEXTILE ADVENTURES

A series of 4 workshops. Exciting ways with recycled textiles use traditional crafts to transform pre-used fabrics into beautiful and useful items. Learn new skills and recycle. Materials will be provided but please bring any old textiles you have that you would like to work with.


Pre-book preferred, drop in OK if space - price per person £10 per session.
Thursday 10th June 7:0pm – 9:00pm,
Thurs 17th June 7:00pm – 9:00pm,
Thurs 24th June 7:00pm – 9:00pm,
Thurs 1st July 7:00pm – 9:00pm


SKETCHBOOK ADVENTURES
A series of 4 workshops. A mixed media drawing project that will include making your own sketchbook to keep all your work in. Materials included.


Pre-book preferred, drop in OK if space - price per person £10 per session.
Thursday 10th June 10:30am – 12:30pm,
Thurs 17th June 10:30am – 12:30pm,
Thurs 24th June 10:30am – 12:30pm,
Thurs 1st July 10:30am – 12:30pm

Pakistani vehicle art

The tradition of painting vehicles started so that truck drivers could take pictures that made them happy on long journeys across the country - the tradition has been passed down throughout the generations.