The Natural World: a Tapestry Touring International Exhibit
I wrote last week about some amazing experiences I had recently on my trip to the UK and Scotland. One of those was being able to see the exhibit The Natural World by Tapestry Touring International team of Jane Freear-Wild and Lindsey Marshall. The first venue for this show was Much Wenlock in Shropshire, UK where it hung for most of September of this year. I knew it was a stretch (England isn’t as small as I thought!), but I couldn’t help but feel there was a way to include Much Wenlock in my travels. It turned out to be a perfect start to a magical trip.
Admittedly, part of why I wanted to see this show is that I had a piece in it. The Natural World was an invitational exhibit; I was honored to have been included in a show with such esteemed tapestry artists.
The theme was open to interpretation. Our only firm criteria was the size limitation. Dimensions were restricted to no more than 625cms/100 inches with no one side being longer than 25cms/10 inches, and depth no more than 5cms/2 inches.
A note on the captions: we were asked to provide a few words to sum up our imagery, which I have included in quotes after the title. With the exception of the details and one or two others, the images here were provided by the artists.
Beyond the Expected
You can imagine many of us may focus on a common aspect within the theme of The Natural World. Some to be expected, while others were a different take I hadn’t considered. Like Terri Bryson’s Inseparable or Mary Lane’s Hedgerow.
Inseparable…”colours of the Natural and Human Worlds are inseparable”; 25 x 12cms; beads, wool, cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic weft on cotton warp. Photography: Kenneth Bryson
Hedgerow…”exemplifies the evocative and aesthetic power of pattern”; 20 x 24.5cms; wool weft on cotton warp; Photography: Mary Lane
Sheer Beauty and Mystery
The beauty and mystery of trees and morning light continues to influence my own work, so I was naturally enamored by the the work of Mike Wallace and Joan Griffin.
Silver Birch Trees…”I find inspiration from these trees”; 22.5 x 24.5cms; wool, linen, silk and paper string weft on linen warp; Photography: Mike Wallace
Morning Light…”the progression of colors and shapes in the morning”; 20.5 x 20cms; wool weft on cotton warp; Photography: Joan Griffin
Human Impact
Another common theme one can’t help but respond to is the impact- and destruction - that has come about as a result of human intervention.
Earth Bleeds…”layers of paving over the earth symbolize our dilemma”; 20 x 20cms; wool, cotton, rayon and silk weft on cotton warp; Photography: Janet Austin
Yolanda M. Olivotto, Canada
Not Beyond this Barrier…”Try again. Think of the natural world without impacting it”; 25 x 25cms; wool and silk on cotton warp; Photography: Yolanda M Olivotto
Tiny Worlds
With the size restrictions of this show, one would expect to see some interpretations of what I refer to as Tiny Worlds. There were a number of pieces with fine setts, but these two stood out for the amount of detail depicted, inspired by the beauty of lichen and rock.
Marilyn Rea-Menzies, New Zealand
Lichen…”subtle textures, colours and shapes referencing our New Zealand forests”; 23 x 24cms; wool, boucle wool and cottolin weft on cotton warp; Photography: Marilyn Rea-Menzies
Rock: Labadorite 2…”pattern, shape and colour”; 15 x 25cms; cotton and linen on cotton warp; Photography: Jane Freear-Wyld
The Power of Nature
And lastly: The Power of Nature. It has often struck me how something like an ice storm, for instance, could be so beautiful and so devastating at the same time. Murray Gibson’s Night Wave reflects on that kind of power in Water. Dot Seddon’s subject is the beauty of a carniverous plant, and Margaret Jones’ the poppy plant.
Night Wave…”flow, rhythm, transition, ritual, power”; 19.5 x 21cms; wool weft on cotton warp; Photography: Murray Gibson
I might add here, that all three of these tapestries commanded - and I do mean commanded - my attention from the moment I caught a glimpse. I remember calling Murray’s “just plain gutsy” for the way that dark little image pulled me in for a closer look!
Field of Dreams…”poppies, pretty but they have the dark potential of opium”; 21 x 20.5cms: wool weft on cotton warp; Photography: Margaret Jones
Dot Seddon, UK
Beautiful Carnivore…”Yin and Yang; interdependence; circle of life; colour in nature”; 25 x 22 x 1cms; beads, sewing thread, cotton & wool weft on cotton warp; Photography: Dot Seddon
In 2023 The Natural World moves to Kirkleatham Museum, near Redcar from March 4th - June 4th, and the Community Gallery at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, from July 12th - September 24th.
Can’t wait or don’t live in the UK? You can see ALL of the images from this exhibit here.