Part 5 Exhibition at the Beetroot Tree

The Textile Study Group at the Beetroot Tree

I spent a very happy hour this afternoon at The Beetroot Tree where there was an exhibition of the work of some members of the Textile Study Group.

The Textile Study Group (TSG) is a group of nationally and internationally recognised textile artists and tutors well known for innovative and challenging approaches to art practice and contemporary teaching.

The objectives of the group are to cultivate and advance the practice of stitch and textile art through a broad spectrum of education – workshops, courses, lectures, publications, exhibitions – and to deliver expertise and excellence in all areas of textile art across all levels and ages of students

It was first established in 1973 as a support group for embroidery teachers, under the inspiration and guidance of Constance Howard. The group was originally known as the Practical Study Group (PSG) and was affiliated to the Embroiderers’ Guild.

That connection continues today through an award to the TSG Graduate of the Year selected from Graduate Exhibitions and displaying within the Embroiderers’ Guild Graduate Showcase at the Knitting and Stitching shows. This bursary targets the next generation of textile teachers and artists: an educational investment for the future. The winning graduate is also offered a place on the annual Summer School – an intensive residential course which has a well-deserved reputation for the high standards attained.

The Textile Study Group retains a core membership of 25 experienced textile teachers who value the importance of the development of their own individual art practice in their role as educators. Based throughout the UK, members meet for two weekends a year in a supportive but challenging environment to participate in workshops led by outside tutors from a wide range of disciplines.

Each member is required to undertake a critical 5-year review with an appointed mentor who contributes their unique expertise to the process. Currently Polly Binns brings her art practice and highly regarded academic reputation to the group. There is no doubt that the in-depth preparation, one-to-one discussion and feedback marks an important stage of self-development and awareness which continues and sustains long after the review. In 2005, our mentor, Julia Caprara, wrote in her introduction to the catalogue for the exhibition Not what it seams:

The strength of the group relies on a mutual respect, sense of trust and honesty that enables artists to challenge and be challenged, to argue, discuss and not be content with second best; to be prepared to push the boundaries and to explore the creative self beyond the margins of the everyday.

From  http://textilestudygroup.co.uk/

I love the idea of such eminent artists challenging each other and being mentored by people they admire and repect.

The work I saw at this exhibition included some by Ruth Issett a favourite of mine.  No photographs were allowed so this is from the TSG website.  It's very similar, if not the same, as the work I saw.

Ruth Issett

The colours and techniques are very typical of Issett's work with lots of layering and a mix of hand and machine stitching.

Jean Draper exhibited some small cacti like pieces but I can find no images of them.  They reminded me a bit of the work of Nora Fok.

Bobby Britnell's work was there too with some very distinctive pieces.

It is here that I have to come clean and say that I forgot to take my notebook.  There was one artist whose name I can't recall and I thought her work was beautiful (what an insult to not remember her name).  I've searched the TSG website but can't find the work I'm looking for.

Another learning experience even if I should have learned the notebook lesson long, long ago.


NB After reading this post Maggie Birchenough was kind enough to supply the name I was missing,  It is Ann Wheeler.  The work in the exhibition is rather different to that on the TSG website.