I wrote last year (here) about the welcome inclusion of Textiles in the RA Summer exhibition. I visited the 2024 exhibition recently and was interested to see which artworks made of textiles made the cut this time.
The portrait below by Blair Cahill caught my eye, as a two-person portrait by this artist was one of my favourites from last year’s exhibition. I like the threads running across the surface which give extra emphasis to the fact that this is not a portrait made with paint!
The long piece below was skilfully produced and intriguing. Clearly a number of vintage needlepoint pieces had been found, collated and carefully merged to produce an extended ‘landscape’ with reflection!
In contrast, the piece below had been made by every single stitch being placed into a counted thread Aida background. The thread colours have been carefully combine to suggest light in the sky and on the sea, very effective.
The piece below also included threads in the colours of the sea, woven onto a wire frame. Only at second glance does one see the yellow rubber gloves woven into the centre part, though a clue is right there in the title which mentions a well-known brand! Very clever.
The sculptural piece below uses silk pieces which have been delicately dyed with natural dyestuffs and the use of willow twigs fits the nature-based theme.
In contrast, this rather bold sculpture in red and neutral colours, created with knitting wool, makes a strong statement:
The large-scale artwork below by Hughie O’Donahue would be described as a painting, but look closer and you see that is painted on a big piece of tarpaulin, which is a textile… interesting.
And finally, is the artwork below a textile piece? The small pieces of metal appear to be ‘stitched’ together with wire to create this striking image of continents, as if on a map.
I continue to be delighted to see art made from textiles and art that is stitched holding its own alongside drawings, paintings, prints and sculptures from resistant materials. Long may this continue.
This month I taught my signature QUILT IN A DAY course twice, so there are two new individuals who are now launched into quilt-making. If you would like to do this too, check the page here
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Amanda Jane Textiles 