Talks

I offer talks, demonstrations and workshops to groups, clubs, colleges and universites – whilst I am based in Yorkshire, I am happy to travel and share my thoughts further afield.
Talks include an overview of my career to date: My experiences at Goldsmiths, my MA, lecturing, setting up studio, running a business and exhibiting.  I’ll bring along samples and sketch books for everybody to have a look at too.
I’m happy to give a devore demonstration and/or ‘Devore Dabbling’ where anybody can get involved and ‘give it a go!’. 

Career Talk: Being a Textile Artist
Follow the progress of my work across the last 20 years – gosh that makes me feel old – I like to think I started young and have still got a lot to do! How I started, why I continue: Goldsmiths, Lecturing, MA, exhibiting…juggling!

New Grounds
A 4 year long, Arts Council supported project culminating in a solo touring show. This talk illustrated why and most importantly how I re-developed my work, charting inspiration, the progression of ideas and the development of the exhibition.

Exploring Devore
I’m often referred to as the ‘Devore Lady’: I know devoré inside out and upside down, it’s been my area of specialism for many, many years. Learn about the process & it’s intricacies and variants, see how I have used it[and continue to do so] within my work. I can offer this as an interactive talk, so those who wish can have a ‘dabble’. NB.I shall be publishing a devoré book in the autumn of 2011.[NB. Devore Dabbling needs 2 hours]

Talks usually run for approx 1 hour.  I charge £100 plus travel at 40ppm
[NB Devore Dabbling £150 plus travel, plus £3 per participant to cover materials]

 Dionne Swift’s visit to tell us about her work and career as textile artist was an inspirational start to the New Year. I suppose we meet few people who manage to earn a living by marketing their own ideas and designs, by bringing creativity directly to the consumer,

Dionne explained how she was influenced as a child by her two grandmothers, one who taught her how to sew and how to improvise by adapting knitted or smocked garments. She told us about her teaching, her designer collections for interiors, her drawing and printing, and development of Devore technique illustrated with beautiful samples of her work. Interestingly she spoke of working on a particular idea for a while and then stopping to review, the next stage of her work perhaps being quite different to the last. Acknowledgement was given to a supportive husband and two understanding children and how she just managed motherhood and a career, no mean feat to any who have tried.

The illustrations that supported the talk showed the colour and marks used to express her ideas, but Dionne’s enthusiasm about her work and personal drive to fulfil her ambitions was probably what most impressed us. Hopefully a Devore workshop will follow in the future.  Valerie Hodgson – Lower Airedale branch of the Embroiderers Guild