We always enjoy hearing an about a speaker’s journey into stitch and, as many of us have also experienced, Jo had family influences, including a grandfather who was a knitter and a grandmother who was a milliner. Jo herself completed a multi media textile design course and went on to work as a costume assistant at the Laban centre of movement and dance. She has also worked as a part-time teacher of fashion helping students with textiles. She has exhibited and during lockdown became involved in the on-line ‘No Rules Textile Society’ led by Jane Emerson. Jane demonstrates on line unexpected ways of using textiles, hence the title of the group. Jo is also currently involved in an exhibition of the Midland’s Textile Forum at the Needle Museum in Redditch.
Jo has a small studio at home and showed us a mood board and told us about her practice which involves making samples which she stores in boxes that are themed around: Weaving, Machine Embroidery, Patchwork, Hand-stitching and Loops. Jo generously allowed us to explore the boxes touching and examining samples as pictured below.
Jo had brought along some framed pieces based on a horse chestnut leaf and pieces based on weaving. She makes use of dissolvable film and described herself as a very black and white person. She uses kitting and crochet to form loops and stitches into them sometimes including lace. She is inspired by Seminole patchwork and creates strips which she cuts up. Some of her completed pictures are shown below, including the stages through which the horse chestnut pieces mentioned above went to produce the final black framed piece. As you can see Jo likes to manipulate fabric in unusual ways
We also held our green raffle this evening. The bags were completed by Janet M and Meriel and are shown below.
Our next meeting is on June 10th 2024 with Jane Arthur. Jane is a landscape artist using mixed media collage and textiles. Some members will be lucky enough to attend a workshop this June with the always fascinating Angie Hughes. June’s raffle colour is blue/turquoise. Members are asked, if they can, to bring contributions in those colours.
Birmingham Embroidery and Textile Art 