Out of the Fold has a long and lovely tradition of exchanging handmade Christmas cards at the final meeting of the year. Here is the selection for 2024.
May we wish all our friends and followers a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2025
Monday, 9 December 2024
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Dee exhibiting in Wissett
Sat 16th and Sunday 17th November 2024
10am - 4pm each day
Sunday, 3 November 2024
Design theme for 2025 exhibition selected
For the new series of work to be designed and created by all twelve members of Out of the Fold in 2025 the theme will be...........
REFLECTIONS
This exhibition will be unveiled at the exhibition in The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds on 23rd - 28th September 2025
Mary is the guest artist for November 2024 in Sudbury
The shop is open Monday - Saturday 10am until 5pm
Mary is offering a new range of glass candle holders which come with a battery candle which would make nice Christmas gifts. Each one unique. Prices from £15
Penny launches her brand new website
You can find out more about Out of the Fold member Penny Evans on her new website https://pennyevansfibreart.co.uk/
Penny at Art Unequalled
Penny Evans is taking part in the Art Unequalled event at the Maltings, Ely
When?
Art Unequalled Ely
9th and 10th November 2024
Saturday and Sunday 10.30am -5pm
Where?
The Malting’s
Ship Lane
Ely
Cambs.
CB7 4BB
For more information look at the website artunequalled.co.uk/november
Saturday, 26 October 2024
Off the wall thinking
As contemporary textile artists much of the work we make is for exhibition and designed to be displayed on a gallery wall. However for the last few years we have included an ‘Off the Wall’ challenge to design and make three dimensional work to be displayed on tables and plinths. Originally it was to fill the gallery space. The Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds, which is our main exhibition space, is a beautifully restored Georgian building and does not allow pieces to be fixed to the walls but does have some lovely Georgian side tables. It was a practical solution. But could it also be a creative solution?
The first of our challenges also developed from a group
outing to Sudbury Suffolk which still has three working silk mills and weaves
96% of silk in the UK. We enjoyed a guided Silk Walk around the town and a
visit to the Gainsborough Silk Mill archive. We purchased large wooden reels
from old looms from the mill shops. Each member was then allocated a colour by
random ballot and charged to make a piece of work to be displayed on the reel.
In a way this was quite easy – just a piece of textile in a very long thin
form. But how best to display? If unrolled they lose their form. If rolled then
they cannot be fully seen. The reels themselves roll – right off the table!
The challenge for the ‘Unfolding’ exhibition was linked directly to the theme and was to make fans.
Again we
planned a group outing and arranged to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum in
Cambridge to view some of their fan collection from the archive. This gave us
the opportunity to handle the beautiful fans and see up close the different
styles and construction methods. Some members also visited the fan museum in
Greenwich and one used it as an excuse for a research trip(holiday) to Seville!
The fans proved to be a highly technical challenge. Some members made them from scratch, others deconstructed and reconstructed existing fans, and lots of different media as you would expect from a mixed media group were employed. Fans were made from paper, cotton, silk, vilene, lutrudur, lace, felt and wood. They were stitched, painted, printed, dyed, dissolved, burned, manipulated and quite often rescued from the bin!
This is what some of our members said about the fan challenge:
Phillip
Rees “Making fans
was a technical as well as an artistic challenge. It pushed me to work in a
different way”
Heather
Evans “The challenge
to make a working fan took some research and some failed attempts but it felt
great to finally succeed”
Frances
Overy “Making the
fan was one of the most fun challenges. What a huge variety of techniques,
colours and types achieved for the display. They were a real talking point
among visitors”
Sarah
Boardman “The
challenges are a way of taking you out of your comfort zone an creating
something you would not have down otherwise”
The fans were exhibited in 2023 in Bury St Edmunds and at the Big 24 exhibition in Suffolk
The six
sided cube allowed for a really varied range of media to be used with members
exploring the form. Some members selected to work ‘inside the box’ to make the
most of the hollow form and others using the cube frame almost as a mini
gallery. There were some complete matching sets but others used the challenge
to produce individual standalone cubes. Our three new members also joined in
this challenge at very short notice and added their individuality to the
eclectic mix. Easier to display – cubes do at least stack! Not so easy to
store, another consideration for future challenges
So do Out of the Fold members like the challenges? Are they a restriction or a call to creativity and innovation?
Penny
Evans “Coming
together as a group to discuss the challenges has many benefits, not just
overcoming the technical aspects. Ideas spark off design ideas and the set of
fans, cubes or whatever are produced which are all so different”
Nicola
Whayman “I enjoy the
challenge of having to think differently where there are some constraints”
Jenny Lam “It gives me a focus. Producing 3D
work involves thinking about structure, support, materials and the best method
of displaying to advantage”
Dee
Nicholson “I like
being challenged to think outside the box”
Jenny
Butcher” As a new
member it was good to be included in a collaborative project. 3D work offers
the viewer another interesting perspective to textile work”
Beverley
Youngman “The
challenges are good fun. Great way to explore new techniques together”
The cubes were exhibited at Snape Maltings in 2024 and will be able to be viewed again at the next exhibition in Sept 2025 at The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds
A version of this article will be published in the Contemporary Quilt Magazine
'A Splash of Colour' is over (for now)
A huge thank you to everyone who visited our 'A Splash of Colour' exhibition at the Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings in October 2024.
For those not able to visit this time Jenny filmed this short video to give you a flavour of the pieces on display.
'A Splash of Colour' will be shown again at our next exhibition at The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds in September 2025, alongside a brand new series of work on a new theme.
Monday, 21 October 2024
Dee exhibiting at Grundisburgh Gallery
The Grundisburgh Gallery exhibition runs until the 29th October and so overlaps with the Out of the Fold exhibition until 23rd October. You could do both in one day!
You can see Dee's profile on suffolkopenstudios.org/artists/dee-nicholson/
Facebook Dee Nicholson
A Splash of Colour - three days to go
Open 10am until 4pm each day
Free entry
The Gallery has natural light from all sides and the textile work on show picks up this light differently through the day
The weather at Snape can also change in an instance and the gallery really feels part of this environment
Friday, 18 October 2024
So much to see at 'A Splash of Colour' exhibition
And all of it a real riot of colour.
Can you spot the makers?
Come along to the exhibition to see all of these works in full plus many, many more.
Runs until Wed 23rd October 2024
10am - 4pm each day
Free entry
Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Out of the Fold Artist Statements for 'A Splash of Colour' exhibition
All members of the group have written an Artist Statement for a booklet to accompany the 'A Splash of Colour' exhibition. Visitors often ask about members and their work when visiting and although there are stewards every day this provides a way of introducing all twelve embers of the group, including our three new members exhibiting for the first time.
The booklet also includes QR code links to members websites and social media and well as contact details for any future commissions!
Thank you to Frances Overy for compiling and printing the booklet. Hard copies will be available during the exhibition.
Friday 18th October until Wed 23rd O tober 2024
10am - 4pm each day
Free entry
Friday, 4 October 2024
Two for the price of one.......
Fibre Fusions - a long established group founded by the late Pauline Verrinder - will be exhibiting in the Pond Gallery for two weeks from 11th until 23rd October. Their exhibition 'Re' is a retrospective exhibition of work showing the breadth of work made over many years.
If you visit during the second week of the Fibre Fusion exhibition you can also visit the Quay Gallery to see 'A Splash of Colour' an exhibition by all twelve members of Out of the Fold including their group challenge series of CUBES
Members will be there every day to steward and answer any questions about the textile art on show.
This is a great opportunity to see and purchase some innovative and original textile art - just on time for Christmas!
We hope to see you there.
Monday, 9 September 2024
A Splash of Colour exhibition - work in progress
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| Colours selected by Frances Overy |
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| Detail of one of Frances's pieces |
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| Detail from work by Caroline Brown |
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| Detail from work by Phillip Rees |
These are only a glimpse into the work by the twelve members of Out of the Fold.
To see the whole pieces then please come along to the 'A Splash of Colour' exhibition at The Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings, Suffolk from 18th - 23rd October 2024
Friday, 9 August 2024
Introducing new member Nicola Whayman
Nicola’s creative work is inspired by and in response to her natural surroundings, mainly from her daily dog walks on the Deben Peninsula but also further afield.
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| Catch on the beach 2024 |
Using her senses and experience, knowledge and research to reflect her perceived essence of the place into the pieces.
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| China walk 2024 |
Thoughtfulness is given to the materials and practice, trying to work with nature as far as possible by using local resources, being as sustainable as possible while enjoying the process.
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| Mahjong 2024 |
Continuing to develop the balance of challenging practice, products used and expressing responses to the environment.
Slowing down the process with hand stitch and making fibres from nature gives time to reflect on experiences.
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| Nettle cordage bowl |
She is also a member of Fibre Transformation group, exhibiting with them in 2022 and 2023 and has had a piece in the Norfolk Markers exhibition in 2023.
Instagram @Quiltingthreads
Qulitingthreads@outlook.com
Thursday, 8 August 2024
Introducing new member Jenny Lam
Having been inspired by the Creative Stitch and Advanced Stitch courses between 2018 - 2022, much of Jenny's work is in 3D and has focussed on the natural world and the life force within it.
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| The cacophony 2022 |
Her pieces often combine artefacts such as dried seed pods with eco-dyed fabric forms or organic thread shapes produced with solubles, so that the viewer must look closely to identify which is man-made and which natural.
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| I'll drift about Forever, all my Atoms, Till I find you again. 2024 |
Some of her work is over 2 metres tall and she enjoys playing with scale and the sense of power that large works expresses.
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Unravelling. In memory of Andre. 2022
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She has found solace in creating work with deep personal meaning as a result of difficult life experiences.
Jenny also enjoys creating wallhangings combining paint, dyes, mixed media and stitch.
Publication
Jenny's wallhanging "The Essence of Summer" was included in a student online magazine (Fibre Arts Take Two) entitled "Delving Deeper Into our Visual Language" (with Lorna Crane) in 2021, .
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| The Broads 2024 |
She is also a member of the Textile Art group - Fibre Transformations
Jenny has exhibited with the Fibre Transformations group in 2022, 2023 and had a piece accepted into the Norfolk Makers Exhibition at the Forum in Norwich in 2024.
Contact Jenny: djembejen@hotmail.co.uk
Instagram: @jennylamtextiles and @fibre_transformations
Wednesday, 7 August 2024
Introducing new member Jenny Butcher
Jenny’s interest in textiles was rekindled during her time as a mature student studying for a Fine Art degree.
She completed the Creative Stitch Course in Ipswich in 2019 and has more recently finished the Advanced Stitch Textiles Course.
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| Catch 22 |
A reoccurring theme in Jenny’s work is the subjective topic of ‘Roots’, in particular the impact of adoption on individuals and their families during the 1950s.
Research has become an integral part of her practise because it informs and drives her working processes.
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| Pebbles |
She is also inspired by local history and geography of the area where she lives on the Suffolk coast.
Photography is often the spark that ignites new ideas as well as foraging and integrating found matter with her work.
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| Found |
Experimenting and manipulation play their part in the learning process as Jenny seeks to find meaning through materials.
You can see more examples of Jenny's work on her Instagram page @jennybutcherart
Monday, 5 August 2024
Penny Evans - winner of Quilt Creations at Festival of Quilts
Here is Penny alongside her fantasy costume inspired by the Eri silk moth made as part of her Creative Stitch Advanced Stitched Textiles course with tutor Mary McIntosh
The winners of each category will go on to be shown at the theknittingandstitchingshow.com/london/ at Alexandra Palace from 10th - 13th October 2024 and at theknittingandstitchingshow.com/harrogate/ from 21st - 24th November 2024
Penny says "I am so pleased that Out of the Fold member Dee Nicholson encouraged me to enter 'Metamorphosis' into the Festival of Quilts. The opportunity for my work to be seen by thousands of visitors to Birmingham and then London an Harrogate is just fantastic"
Thursday, 25 July 2024
Out of the Fold @Festival of Quilts
The show runs from 1st - 4th August 2024 and is the largest display of textile work in Europe. Not just quilts but a wide range of textile art galleries, traders, workshops, traders, talks and catwalk shows.
The 3D Quilt Creations class is often the most interesting at the show with a wide range of work on display from 3D sculpture, stitched books, garments, installations - you never know what to expect!
See more of Penny's work on her social media ages
Sarah Boardman will be teaching and demonstrating her Swedish Weaving technique on her stand QIA9
Sarah's workshops are sold out but you can buy kits with full instructions or book her for a workshop.
More information on Sarah's website www.sbtextileart.co.uk/
Mary will also be giving her talk 'Trash to Treasure' in the main Festival Theatre on Thursday 1st August at 4.30pm - tickets still available
You can also find Mary demonstrating her 'Monoprinting Magic' technique in the creative-textiles-studio/ on Saturday 3rd August from 1pm - 5pm and on Sunday 4th August from 1pm - 4pm
The workshop is sold out but you can buy kits with full instructions of book Mary for a workshop for your group. More information on her website www.marymcintosh.co.uk/
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