Textile Artist Angie Parker

Textile Artist Angie Parker

Angie Parker's work is featured in Walford Mill Crafts' latest exhibition 'Wood and Fibre'. Angie is a weaver of exquisite rugs and vibrant textiles derived from Scandinavian rug weaving techniques. Here Angie tells us all about her background, current work and what is next. 

I love producing distinctive and intricate fabrics and rugs which I hand weave on my Glimakra Floor loom. Traditional patterns, such as Krokbragd, have become like handwriting to me over the years. The designs flow so naturally now, and by combining them with my instinctive and daring approach to colour I have found a craft that never ceases to thrill and excite me. 

My journey began when I specialised in Rug Weaving on the Design Crafts course at Cumbria College of Art & Design in the 1990’s

Tutored by the late Susan Foster I gained an insight into traditional Scandinavian rug weaving techniques and was hooked from the first day. After graduating I went on to win the Floorcovering Design award at New Designers.

I then had an accidental but very happy separate career in costume for Musical Theatre & TV. (Miss Saigon, Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar etc..). This allowed me to develop my weaving without the pressure of earning a living from my Craft-a luxurious creative time indeed!

I now live in Bristol and have a workshop at B.V studios after setting up my practice in 2012.

It was the arrival of my third child which made me re-evaluate my career options and I realised that I wanted my children to see me doing the job I trained for...and love.

Setting up a business whilst caring for my young children has been challenging, fun and mainly hard work and careful planning. I can dip into my weaving quite easily for short periods of time if the kids are playing, and get long sessions done when they're in bed…I find my craft a symbol of fluidity in my world of interruptions!

 I was selected for the Craft Councils Hothouse Business Programme which was a huge step in my professional life and I now have a very clear vision of how I can proceed creatively in business.

Time spent living in India in 2006 and more recently the graffiti in my neighbourhood in Bristol have influenced the fabulously gaudy palate which is intrinsic to my weaving.

Each woven piece is a celebration of colour and pattern, and having the chance to show my work has confirmed that the pleasure I get from weaving shines through in the finished product. Having a cheerful nature myself, I love that seeing work makes so many people smile.

Salvaged and restored chairs are one of the uses I have found for these original and durable handwoven pieces. I have 'elves' all over the country helping me to find abandoned, forgotten pieces of furniture that are crying out for a little care and am unfazed by the complications of upholstering with these irregular fabrics.

Working in fine mercerised cottons, silks, chenille, and as much glitter as I dare, I hand-weave, restore and finish all the pieces myself. My weaving is weft faced on a strong cotton warp and much of my designing is done at the loom. By working this way I can retain the balance of colours whilst keeping each design fresh and exciting during the long production process. I love the surprise element of technique.

The next stage for me is to return to Rug Weaving and I am very excited to be launching my new collection of Rugs in January 2014, at the Devon Guild’s Get Fresh exhibition.

You can see Angie's work at Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, BH21 1NL as part of the Wood and Fibre exhibition until 26th October 2014. Free entry.

You can find out more about Angie's work via her Website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Dresses and Darnings at Walford Mill Crafts

Dresses and Darnings at Walford Mill Crafts

Our new exhibition 'Dresses and Darnings', a solo show by Jenni Dutton opened this Saturday 24th May here at Walford Mill Crafts in Wimborne and has already received an overwhelming response.  

The exhibition features a collection of Jenni's work over the years which looks at the complex issues of memory, identity and loss all explored through the subject of the female form. 

Some of the most notable work is a series of large sewn portraits of her mother who has dementia. The work was initially in response to well loved photos from her family album, but this soon developed as a vehicle for Jenni to respond to her mothers gradual deteriorating health. The complex issues of memory, identity and loss are explored through the subject of the female form. 

You can see Dresses and Darnings at Walford Mill Crafts from Saturday 24th Mat 2014 until Sunday 6th July 2014. Free admission. #DAW14

Stone Lane, Wimborne, BH21 1NL

www.walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Emma Calvert

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the Maker: Emma Calvert – Woven Jewellery

18^th November –24^th November 2013

Emma Calvert creates bold textile jewellery by fusing traditional techniques with sculptural forms and contemporary colours.  Crossing from textiles into jewellery, Emma explores the process of making a two-dimensional fabric into a three-dimensional form through weaving, folding and knotting. 

Specialising in woven textiles, Emma studied BA Textile Design at Central St Martins London and graduated with First Class Honours in 2007.  With a thorough grounding in colour theory and her experimental weave techniques incorporating metal, Emma pursued a career in jewellery initially working for Vivienne Westwood before setting up her own label in 2011.

Working with a variety of fabrics, ribbons are intricately folded by hand using decorative knotting techniques. Each piece is then carefully finished with metalwork that complements the graphic shape of the textiles.  Emma’s instinctive use of colour and tone is echoed in her jewellery by mixing textures and hand-dyed ribbons with neon bright tones and highly polished silver.

Since launching her label, Emma’s collections are now sold through both fashion boutiques and design galleries online and across the UK.  Emma also works to commission with both private and commercial clients, offering a bespoke colour service to create something special.

New for 2013 is her diffusion range, a collection of stacking bracelets, simple bar necklaces and drop earrings which incorporate woven sections of delicate ribbons and silver-plated chain.  The colour palette inspired by the dazzling mosaics of Palermo’s Cappella Palatino and the deserted Ancient Roman city of Solunto. 

Emma has just completed the Craft Council’s 2013 Hothouse scheme.  As one of forty emerging makers selected for the national programme, Emma was part of the South West cohort who partnered with University of Plymouth and Devon Guild of Craftsmen.  Building on her achievements so far, Emma looks set to continue her success with exciting new projects and collaborations set for 2014 and beyond.

www.emmacalvert.co.uk

facebook.com/emmacalvertjewellery

twitter: @em_calvert

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Krishula Auckland

 Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

11th November - 17th November 2013 Krishula Auckland, Fine Art Photographer

Krishula’s work begins with a photograph. 

In 2008 Krishula graduated from Falmouth College of Art with a degree in Photography. During her time there Krishula trained primarily in traditional photographic practice, focusing on a wide range of historical darkroom techniques. These included printing with large format plate cameras, hand toning and developing film with a variety of unusual chemicals. A favourite of all the processes she leant, Albumen Printing, enabled a photograph to be created using egg white, watercolour paper and a sheet of acetate!
These fun and often-mysterious processes led to a passion for constant experimentation and since graduating Krishula has continued to play, incorporating a variety of both traditional and contemporary tools within her artwork.  

With a love of Polaroid film and the beautiful soft atmosphere it creates, Krishula often uses these small instant snapshots as a way of expressing her observations and understanding of the surrounding world.

Unfortunately, many of these wonderful film stocks are now disappearing and so the mix of both film and digital technology is now vital in allowing her a way of recreating such  colours and distinct tones. 

Although originally cautious of the mechanical and often sterile images created by early digital cameras, a rise in new technology has offered Krishula scope. Old and unstable chemical processes can now be scanned and preserved and a photographic canvas created. Pulling apart Polaroids, lifting and transferring emulsion and developing prints with the natural chemicals found in plants, are just some of a few of the hand manipulative processes Krishula uses and with the help of a scanner she continues to rework her images often adding several layers, textures and tones.

Key to her personal technique is the use of water whereby her images are floated, re-photographed and finally printed upon glass plates. The use of water and glass allows Krishula to explore her signature fascination with reflections and provide her with the soft ethereal tones found in Polaroid film. Ponds, puddles, metal and windows all provide great inspiration and for this reason she can be often found at the water’s edge, watching as the changing light creates fascinating reflections upon the tide. 

Stepping outside of the darkroom, Krishula has been fortunate enough to work both artistically and commercially within the vast realm of Photography. Exhibiting in London, Paris and Berlin, shooting film set stills and studio catalogue shots, designing book jackets and album covers; Krishula enjoys the great variety in her work and hopes to continue to constantly develop and hone her Photographic training. 

You can see more of Krishula's work here 

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Jasmine O'Hare

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the Maker: Jasmine O’Hare – Fine Art

28^th October – 3^rd November 2013

Jasmine O'Hare is currently studying a BA (Honours) in Fine Art at the Arts University Bournemouth. Jasmine works in a wide variety of mediums, focusing mainly on Photography and Sculpture with underlying themes of trace and preservation. Recent projects have included mapping drawing pins on telephone poles and documenting artificial animal enclosures at tourist attractions.

Jasmine often uses photography to abstract and elevate common mundane subjects. Jasmine's cards depict macro shots of winter scenes, captured using a digital SLR. The images are then edited and cropped into circles on the computer. When cropping Jasmine picks out small areas of detail and texture, slightly abstracting the subject matter. 

You can see Jasmine’s work from 28^th October to 3^rd November and she will demonstrating on our late night opening on the 28^th November from 6-8pm.

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Jen Goodwin

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the Maker: Jen Goodwin - Hand Embroiderer 

21st - 27th October 2013

Walford Mill Crafts newest resident maker Jen Goodwin graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in 2003 and has been embroidering professionally ever since.

 In 2011 Jen was lucky enough to be invited onto the team of embroiderers that worked on Sarah Burton's design for the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress. This is a project Jen was immensely proud to be a part of and if you seek her out in 30 years time (when her contract expires) she will be able to share some of her secrets!

Jen enjoys mixing traditional embroidery techniques with stylized designs to create modern stitch pieces that can be recreated through her workshop program or via her range of embroidery kits.

 Heading into the festive season Jen is focusing on increasing her range of embroidered jewellery. These pieces are individually stitched using fine silks along with gold & silver embroidery to create unique future treasures.

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Kathryn Arbon

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the Maker: Kathryn Arbon – Jewellery

14^th October – 20^th  October 2013

Resident silversmith Kathryn Arbon has been designing and making jewellery for nearly twenty years and has been at Walford Mill Crafts for seven.

Kathryn enjoys exploring different techniques and is currently working on collections in silver, 9ct gold and 18ct vermeil, which incorporate carefully selected precious gemstones, including a collection of ethically sourced gemstones from mines in Sri Lanka.

Inspiration for Kathryn’s work is drawn from many different sources, sea themes being a strong influence.  Her latest collection incorporates sea shells found whilst sifting through the warm summer sand on Shell Beach in North Devon, cast in silver. The Ammonite collection also draws on these by incorporating sterling silver ammonites cast from actual fossils. Both collections include earrings, bangles and necklaces in silver and 18ct vermeil.

As well as designing and making her own collections of jewellery, Kathryn is a tutor at Walford Mill Crafts and now considers it a privledge to have the opportunity to impart the skills and knowledge she has acquired over the years to others. This year Kathryn has started to offer the opportunity to 'Make your own Wedding Rings'.  Opening her studio to the bride and groom to be, so they can make wedding rings for each other, under her supervision. Kathryn also welcomes commissions. Reworking old materials and gemstones, breathes new life into jewellery and gemstones which would otherwise sit neglected in the bottom of a jewellery box.'

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Debby Kirby

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the Maker: Debby Kirby – Silk Weaver
7^th October – 13th October 2013

From her Mezzanine workshop and studio at Walford Mill Crafts in Wimborne, Dorset, Debby Kirby creates a wide range of distinctive, hand-woven pieces. Scarves, cushions, bags and a selection of accessories, along with framed and unframed pictures are created by Debby’s unique process of dyeing the silk yarns herself before weaving, ensuring every design is exclusive.


Debby graduated after studying woven textiles at The West Surrey College of Art & Design (now Surrey University) and moved to her present workshop at Walford Mill Crafts in 1986. Debby began her career by supplying her hand-woven silk scarves to many of London’s retailers, including Liberty & Co. and Fortnum & Mason. Over the years she has also seen her work exhibited at many leading galleries including New Brewery Arts, Platform Gallery, Black Swan Arts and The Devon Guild of Craftsmen. Working alongside a calligrapher, they instigated a national touring exhibition – ‘Woven Words’ – which ran for almost two years and visited 12 venues across the UK.

During her career, Debby has built up such a loyal client base that she now concentrates on her studio at Walford Mill, as her customers enjoy observing her working directly on her Harris countermarch loom.


Debby's inspiration comes from many sources: architecture, sky-lines, colour in nature and in the modern world. Using these ideas as a starting point, Debby sketches out her designs to calculate the amount of silk threads needed, the silk is then wound off to the required length as anything up to 250 feet of silk is used to weave a run of scarves. The threads are dyed using colour and light fast acid dyes, each colour powder is weighed, mixed with fixing mordant and then dissolved in hot water. The silk is immersed into the dye and simmered, until Debby is satisfied with the intensity of the colour. The threads are plaited and tied, to build up layers and this way of dyeing (almost painterly in effect) ensures that no two lengths of silk will ever be the same.

This very individual way of working has led to Debby combining her skills with a variety of makers from other disciplines. These include artists, photographers, wood-workers and jewellers, for which Debby has specifically adapted her working process to incorporate each media. 2013 has been an exceptionally busy year, with ideas for collaborations and new designs keeping her creative process innovative. 

 Collaboration with Caroline Parrott

Keep up with the latest news from Debby on Facebook & Twitter! 

FREE entry as usual.

Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm

Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here

01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

'Mill Maker' Caroline Parrott

Walford Mill Crafts have many talented artists and makers amongst its staff members. In the lead up to the exhibition Walford Mill Crafts will be putting the spotlight on each specially selected ‘Mill Maker’ featuring the work of eight very different disciplines including silk weaving, embroidery, photography, jewellery and printmaking. 

On the 28^th November 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm, Walford Mill Crafts would be delighted if you could join them for a very special late night opening as all of the ‘Mill Makers’ will be selling and some will be demonstrating, there will be entertainment, PLUS 10% off everything you buy.

Meet the maker: Caroline Parrott – Metalwork

30^th September – 6^th October 2013

Caroline Parrott is a Dorset born maker specialising in the use of anodised aluminium, which she hand prints and dyes to create a range of jewellery, home accents, mixed media automata and sculpture for exhibition.

Caroline graduated from Bournemouth University in 2010 with a First Class Honours in Applied Art and Design and currently runs her business as a maker alongside working as Education Manager at Walford Mill Crafts. Since working at Walford Mill Crafts Caroline has developed her role as a workshop tutor and she now runs regular creative classes using colourful aluminium. Alongside the workshops Caroline does outreach and community projects with local schools and children’s groups using a range of media. Recent projects have included giant swarms of butterflies and laser cut designs for the garden of a children’s hospice.

Caroline’s practice is eclectic and varied. Her love of making automata was born out of the need to allow people to touch work in a gallery environment. Its endless possibilities, limitless humour and accessibility to all make the work a joy to design and create. She relishes the interaction that can be created between a viewer and a moving object. Caroline is also greatly influenced by childhood memories, toys and games and often chooses to combine her metal with vintage ephemera and old fashioned containers found at antique and flea markets. She takes inspiration from the natural environment and how nature has been recorded and stored throughout history, she loves traditional insect collections and Victorian apparatus, and as a result includes wood and brass fittings wherever possible.

This autumn when she was invited to take part in the Nature of Mending exhibition at Walford Mill Crafts, Caroline set off on a new path and became inspired by her love of combining old materials with her aluminium. As well as her interest in construction - no doubt inherited from her father, a design engineer for the RNLI, she has created a new range of small houses which she's affectionately named 'Pockets' after her garden workshop where she does all her making whatever the weather.

Caroline’s work will be featured throughout Walford Mill Crafts from 30^th September to 6^th October 2013.

FREE entry as usual.
Open: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 4pm
Walford Mill Crafts, Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NL. Directions here
01202 841400 info@walfordmillcrafts.co.uk

Discover a whole new meaning to maps!

Mapping the Way, an exhibition at Walford Mill Crafts, Wimborne, Dorset

Saturday 20^th April – Sunday 2^nd June 2013

This display of careful and considered craft work, shows the initiative and expertise needed to design and work in different mediums inspired by maps.

Every map tells a story inviting discoveries of new lands, new places to visit, holidays, public transport, identifying landmarks and establishing distances between locations.  The ordering and discovering of information through maps helps us all to connect and communicate spatial information in our everyday lives.

 

Jennifer Collier

Many talented makers feature in the exhibition and there is a broad range of work on display from delicate shoes by Jennifer Collier to charming automata by Caroline Parrott.  The exhibition also features work from acclaimed artist Nikki Rosato from Boston Massachuettes, USA.  Nikki creates fascinating intricate roadmap portraits and figures.  Nikki Says ‘In my work involving maps, as I remove the landmasses from the silhouetted individuals I am further removing the figure’s identity, and what remains is a delicate skin-like structure. Through this process, specific individuals become ambiguous and hauntingly ghost-like, similar to the memories they represent’.

 

Nikki Rosato

The Gallery Shop at Walford Mill Crafts has been curated alongside this exhibition to include a section of smaller affordable pieces that would be a great addition to any home. 

If you would like to visit this exhibition Walford Mill Crafts is open Monday- Saturday from 10am - 5pm and Sunday 11am -4pm.  Free entry.