The annual show at Olympia has become a fixture in the calendars of many textile and mixed media artists.   This year's show had some wonderful exhibitions and it was a privilege to be able to talk with the artists who gave their time so willingly.  And all artists generously allowed photographs to be taken

The wall hangings by Michelle House were vibrant and painterly, in clear colours which called out to the viewer "Look at me".  I loved the clean lines and colours.

To quote from Michelle's handout, and with her permission:

"Inspiration comes in many guises, often the pattern and geometry within architecture and the landscape spotted on walks through London, also the physical act of mixing and layering of colours, the texture of fabrics and the printing process.  I use dye pastes, pigments, and sometimes pigment discharge to screen-print and paint onto a variety of textiles...I am increasingly using the computer to design and plan, and for adjusting and editing sections of photographs before they are transferred onto screens."

The Portfolio page on Michelle's website at www.michellehouse.co.uk shows her wonderful work.  In the meantime, here is a selection to whet your appetite:

Louise Baldwin's show of stitched textiles and collages, "Two Worlds", was a wonderful collection of artworks - combining hand and machine stitch to create rich imagery, the "Please do not touch" notices were necessary as the pieces were highly tactile and practically invited the viewer to handle them!

The photographs below show some of Louise's works.  We wait eagerly for her website....

I loved the works in the two-woman show of Mary Sleigh and Jan Miller, "Somewhere in Between".  Hangings, book forms and artworks made out of reclaimed and recycled materials were rich in memory and history.  And, naturally, I wanted to touch the books, turn the pages, feel the textures.

                                                  

The annual show at Alexandra Palace is one not to be  missed for stitching and knitting afficionados.  I went on Wednesday 7 October, the first day of the show opening, queueing up to get in as the doors opened.  The greatest pleasure of the show is being able to speak with the artists exhibiting their work - and I was not disappointed.

Amanda Clayton and Viven Prideaux's installation of beautifully dyed pieces and sheers was made in response to the poem by RS Thomas "The Other".  The translucent hangings and stitched books were particularly attractive.

Stella Harding's exhibition of forms used basketry techniques to transform discarded and recycled materials into geometric forms displayed to show their shapes, which were highlighted by their own shadows.

Michala Gyetvai's "Enchanted Landscapes", large pieces on felted and stitched blankets invoked the atmosphere of mysterious and magical places, the stuff of fairy tales.  Although not permitted, these pieces were crying out to be stroked...

The SAQA exhibition, "Food for Thought", examines the role of food in daily life.  And Kate Jenkin's wonderful "The Stitchmongers", with its display of knitted, crocheted and sequined seafood made every visitor smile with pleasure.

New Zealand Contemporary Textile Art was a large showcase of artwork with a range of techniques, themes and sizes, reflecting the diverse cultures of New Zealand.

"The Fiber Lands" by DAMSS Fibreart greets the visitor on entering the show - the large display stretches for several yards and is composed of individual panels to make up the whole.  Based on the cliffs of Ligura, the visitor has a rather vertiginous bird's eye view of the coastline and sea.  You are left with the feeling that you are there.

This year I broke with a self-imposed tradition and instead of going on the opening day, Thursday, to avoid the crowds of college students, I went on the Saturday.  Never again.  It was just heaving with visitors and unpleasantly hot, making it difficult to enjoy the exhibitions.  However, I persevered and am glad I did so, although there was a slight sense of deja vu as I had seen some of the exhibitors at the Festival of Quilts in August.

Dorothy Caldwell's show, 'In Place', has pieces inspired by the way marks are made on landscapes. There are small works, almost sample sized, highly textured with a minimal palette of colours, and larger ones, with a painting-like quality, again with a restrained use of colour.   

'A Timeline of Crewel Work 1630 - 1930' was a wonderful collection of crewel embroidery, both old and new, including bed hangings, clothing and furnishing fabrics.  Crewel work is a technique which can produce richly textured pieces in jewel colours and I'm glad that there seems to be a renewed interest in keeping it alive.

'Equal On All 4 Sides' was a joint exhibition by Ruth Issett and Bobby Britnell, two artists whose work I have greatly admired.  And yes, I have their books!  Ruth's dyed and printed textiles and paper pieces simply glowed with colour and light.  Bobby's work was more subdued but rich in tone and natural colours.  Both were inspirational.