I saw Jan's work exhibited in the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford some time ago and mentally logged the fact that she was local. As good luck would have it Jan lives quite close and was happy to have my friend and I visit her in her studio.
Jan Garside is a weaver. Prior to becoming an accomplished textile artist Jan had a career as a nurse and a midwife. She managed to take the leap and worked her way towards a degree from that was awarded by Loughborough University in 2002. She is currently studying for an MA at Derby University.
Jan has been awarded grants from the Arts Council England and a Craft Council award and is a member of Design Nation and Design Factory.
The transient character of light and the way multiple surfaces can be exposed are things Jan returns to time and time again. She combines vintage and modern synthetic yarns in soft and shadowy colours that give an otherworldly feeling to her work.
Jan uses a 32 shaft "peg and lag" dobby loom which takes up a good proportion of her studio. She hand dyes and finishes her work.
Recent work has become three dimensional.
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| Jan Garside http://www.jangarside.com/ |
Jan says of her three dimensional work:
Multi-Dimensional Forms, are hand woven cloths that explore the translucency of layering and shape. As these organic intersecting outlines flow softly downwards, the light and air in and around them form an essential element of the gossamer structures. Woven materials include monofilament, silver wire, fancy yarn and paper yarn. www.jangarside.
Jan researches, samples and works things out in her sketchbook and in her studio we were able to see many samples she had made both for her course and for commissions. Her favoured colours are usually pale, greys, blues and neutrals.
Last year Jan was commissioned by the University of York to complete a series of three pieces of work linked to the Vice and Virtue exhibition at Hardwick Hall. Collectively they are called the "Drawing Room".
The three pieces that make up ‘Drawing Room’, reflect on the textiles of their time and the significance of the hands of the maker, interpreting age-old skills in a contemporary context. The triptych consists of a laser cut and engraved fire screen, a large Jacquard woven hanging and a hand woven book.
http://www.jangarside.com/
During the research for the project Jan became very involved not only with the key players like Bess of Hardwick and Queen Elizabeth I but with the lives of the ordinary women who made the fabrics for their grand clothes, particularly the lace. Lace was the inspiration for the firescreen. Firescreens were used to protect people from the fierce heat of a fire and it is ironic that Jan's screen is inspired by lace, the most delicate of fabrics.
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| Firescreen from Drawing Room - Jan Garside Stitched, printed, laser cut and engraved http://www.jangarside.com/ |
The second piece is a large Jacquard woven hanging. This was made on a power driven Jacquard loom with a cotton warp and the pattern repeats three times across the width of the cloth. Notice again the lace motif.
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| Jacquard hanging on the loom http://europeanconversionnarratives.files.wordpress.com/ |
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| Jacquard woven hanging - Jan Garsidehttp://www.jangarside.com/ |
I was lucky enough to see the samples for this work. It was exquisitely soft and sumptuous and a look on the back revealed everything in reverse.
The third piece is a book and it was at Jan's home when we went to visit so we were able to see it.
... the book becomes not so much rooted in fact but takes the viewers on an imaginary journey, inviting them to explore a diversity of images and implied text, whilst simultaneously hinting at a story.
http://europeanconversionnarratives.files.wordpress.com/
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| The Book from the Drawing room - Jan Garside http://www.jangarside.com/ |
The book is hand woven in one continuous piece on a 32 shaft traditional dobby loom. It is woven like a double cloth. The warp is made of very fine monofilament and the weft is a combination of natural and white linens and silk. When I took it off the loom, I did all the finishing by hand, and stitched in the fragments of other cloths and samples. Each fragment is made using combinations of hand woven and/or hand embroidery and screen printed elements
.http://europeanconversionnarratives.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/an-interview-with-jan-garside/#more-1292In an interview with one of her collaborators John Angus, Jan says
The meaning lies with the beholder as the imagery of the books pages shift depending on your vantage point, and as seen and unseen artefacts are hidden and revealed in the transparent folds of the fabric of the book. The fact that the book is hand woven adds a voice to the makers of all works that remain anonymous, not unlike some women writers of the day, or the patrons and printers that you have written about.
http://europeanconversionnarratives.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/an-interview-with-jan-garside/#more-1292
The "E" for Elizabeth can be clearly seen but also hidden in the pages are fragments of letters. From different perspectives one sees new things all the time; just as in a printed book.
It felt a real privilege to be able to see and touch this beautiful and delicate work.
Jan was generous with both her time and the information and knowledge she passed on. Many thanks Jan.
There's lots more to know about Jan's lovely work and I would encourage a look at the links below. There's lots more information particularly on Jan's own website.
http://europeanconversionnarratives.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/an-interview-with-jan-garside/#more-1292
http://www.jangarside.com/
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