Current exhibitions of textile-related art

 I've been producing Hand Spinning News monthly for around 17 years. It's evolved a little over the years but one area that's growing is the textile art section, headed 'But is it art...?' 

 I try to keep HSN focussed on spinning and handspun yarn but I do allow that section to broaden out a little, simply because I'm particularly interested in it. 

 Beautifully and skilfully made functional work is 'craft' and that has a firm place in my heart but so does art.

 I'm trying to travel less but in the last week I've found myself in the Midlands and in East Anglia, and it seemed opportune to visit a couple of exhibitions that interested me. 

 I've recently listed two separate exhibitions at Yorkshire Sculpture Park; Rise by L R Vandy and Time’s Scythe by Nicola Turner.

Nicola has netted raw, unprocessed sheep's wool (possibly processed wool too) to create tendrils that cascade from the balcony of the chapel down into the main space as well as outside, like a growing, living thing. Possibly sinister / hostile. Hand shears add to the effect. 

 The smell is a familiar one if you've processed raw fleece. Some people don't like it but I find it pleasant. It was subtle, not as overpowering as you'd expect. There are samples of the materials available for handling.

 L R Vandy's exhibition also featured tools and materials that were once a symbol of labour and trade. She has very intentionally turned them into objects representing leisure and pastimes such as dancing. 

These mandalas feature weaving shuttles, mostly containing thread 

 She has also used rope, mainly for dancing figures and a large maypole, but this makes me think of a drop spindle. 

 I didn't become aware of the Norfolk Contemporary Crafts exhibition soon enough to include it in the last newsletter but this is one reason for the Patreon page, where paying and non-paying readers can sign up. For free members, there will be a notification when each new free edition is published, and everyone can receive timely information like this. 

  HSN Patron Tracy Myers is excited to be showing her Saori and rigid heddle weaving as a guest with the Norfolk Contemporary Craft Society at their Summer exhibition, St Margaret's Church, St Benedict's Lane, Norwich. The show runs until the 28June

Tracy's shawls pair beautifully with these ceramics. Others are on display in their own right. 

The standard of the work on display is very high. I also particularly liked Penny Evans' felted work:

And how about dried flowers woven into work:

St Margaret's is perfect for such a show: