The exhibition runs from Monday 7th - Friday 25th March 2022
Time can mean many things; the time it takes to study and train to develop knowledge and skills, the time we give to making, wider concepts of time passing, the idea of setting time aside for something important or even of having too much time on our hands. Over the last two years, time has seemed to stretch and contract in sometimes disconcerting ways, Covid gave us more time to spare but also stole our time with family and friends.
Making Time is the first group show of new work by a collection of experienced textile artists who meet regularly to explore their love of textile related work in a supportive but challenging environment. They work with tutor and mentor Sarah Burgess to develop their ideas and push the boundaries of their practice.
The Textile Tutor Group was set up in 2016 and meets nine times a year. Individual members are encouraged to develop an in-depth approach to their individual subject matter, researching and developing their ideas over a period of time, testing and experimenting with new processes and perfecting the presentation of their work. The main focus of their group sessions are the individual tutorials with Sarah Burgess but meetings also involve discussions on exhibition visits and occasional group challenges.
During the various Covid lockdowns the Textile Tutor Group turned to social media and regular timetabled Zoom sessions. The group were able to continue their individual tutorials with Sarah as well as sharing their work, discoveries and digital skills with one another. They also took part in several practical textile workshops on Zoom which helped to keep their motivation going, but it was a huge relief in September 2021 for everyone to be able to meet face-to-face and work together again.
For Making Time, members of the group have worked with diverse themes related to Time such as plant growth and form, climate change, rock strata and formations, disrupted social media conversations, landscape and text related work. Work will include machine and hand stitch, collage, construction, three- dimensional work and fabric painting and dyeing.
Making Time is being shown for the first time in Chesterfield and will travel to the Sock Gallery in Loughborough later in 2022
For further information about the Textile Tutor Group please contact them via Instagram.
