William Morris was one of the most influential voices in Victorian art and architecture. His influence spread into the 20th century in the form of the Arts and Crafts Movement. In 1859 Morris commissioned a friend, Philip Webb, to design him a new home, Red House in Bexley Heath. The house was to be built using traditional materials. Morris was annoyed that he could not find any good textiles and furniture to decorate his new home, so he decided to design them himself. With his friends, Burne-Jones, Rosetti and Webb he formed a small firm, later called Morris and company to sell the products they designed.
Morris did not like the increasing mechanization and mass-production in the arts and he dreamed of re-establishing the values of traditional craftsmenship and simplicity of design. His slogan was that art should be "by the people, for the people".
The company produced high quality items such as stained glass, wallpaper, textiles and furniture, often with a floral motif.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Thursday 28 January 2010
A London museum founded by the British Designer, Zandra Rhodes
The Fashion and Textile Museum is a cutting edge centre for contemporary fashion, textiles and jewellery founded by Zandra Rhodes. It has permanent and changing exhibitions as well as the Academy which runs courses for individual students and businesses.
On the 4th February there is an "in conversation" session with Debbie Moore, the founder of Pineapple Dance Studios. There is also a current exhibiton called "30 years of Pineapple" which runs until the 24th February, 2010.
Future exhibitions include "Very Sanderson - 150 years of English Decoration". It starts on the 19th March 2010 and finishes on the 13th June, 2010. Sanderson was founded by Arthur Sanderson in 1860 and for the last 150 years has been at the forefront of English furnishings. The company produced the first coordinated collection of mass-produced wallpapers and fabrics in Britain as well as a range of household paints. During its history it has collected a huge archive of wallpapers and textiles representing the many changing faces and fads of interior decoration. It is hoped that the exhibition will cater for a wide range of tastes from Arts and Crafts style, Fifties designs and Pop patterns as well as contemporary art and decor.
The address of the Fashion and Textile Museum is 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF.
On the 4th February there is an "in conversation" session with Debbie Moore, the founder of Pineapple Dance Studios. There is also a current exhibiton called "30 years of Pineapple" which runs until the 24th February, 2010.
Future exhibitions include "Very Sanderson - 150 years of English Decoration". It starts on the 19th March 2010 and finishes on the 13th June, 2010. Sanderson was founded by Arthur Sanderson in 1860 and for the last 150 years has been at the forefront of English furnishings. The company produced the first coordinated collection of mass-produced wallpapers and fabrics in Britain as well as a range of household paints. During its history it has collected a huge archive of wallpapers and textiles representing the many changing faces and fads of interior decoration. It is hoped that the exhibition will cater for a wide range of tastes from Arts and Crafts style, Fifties designs and Pop patterns as well as contemporary art and decor.
The address of the Fashion and Textile Museum is 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF.
Monday 25 January 2010
The Fashion Museum at the Assembly Rooms, Bath.
For centuries Bath has been a centre of fashion, attracting visitors to its spa. The Assembly Rooms is one of Bath's finest Georgian buildings and it also houses the Fashion Museum. It has a world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress.
Bath Fashion Museum was one of three UK museums who worked together to save a collection of nine evening dresses by the designer Madeleine Vionnet and worn by Lady Foley. Because of their high quality and the range of textiles and techniques used, the dresses were classed as unmatched by other examples already in the UK and were the subject of a recent Export Licence stop by the Secretary of State.
Two dresses aquired by the Bath Fashion Museum will be on display from December 2009 and are outstanding examples of 1930's haute couture.
The two Vionnet dresses for the Fashion Museum in Bath were bought for £101,365 of which the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund gave £50,00 and the Art Fund gave £31, 365. The Council, the West of England Costume Society and many private individuals and supporters have also donated twoards the purchase.
Both dresses are in fine condition and are excellent examples of Vionnet's design legacy. They are precisely cut, delicately constructed and exquisitely embroidered using a variety of techniques.
One of the dresses on display is a full-length evening gown of cream silk tulle with a bodice decorated with intricate smocking. The pattern of the smocking resembles interlocking hexagons.
Andrew Macdonald, Acting Diretor of the Art Fund, said,
"These exquisite dresses reveal the astonishing cut and design of Madelineine Vionnet's haute couture. Her innovative construction techniques and skilled manipulation of fabric have inspired many of today's leading fashion designers."
Bath Fashion Museum was one of three UK museums who worked together to save a collection of nine evening dresses by the designer Madeleine Vionnet and worn by Lady Foley. Because of their high quality and the range of textiles and techniques used, the dresses were classed as unmatched by other examples already in the UK and were the subject of a recent Export Licence stop by the Secretary of State.
Two dresses aquired by the Bath Fashion Museum will be on display from December 2009 and are outstanding examples of 1930's haute couture.
The two Vionnet dresses for the Fashion Museum in Bath were bought for £101,365 of which the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund gave £50,00 and the Art Fund gave £31, 365. The Council, the West of England Costume Society and many private individuals and supporters have also donated twoards the purchase.
Both dresses are in fine condition and are excellent examples of Vionnet's design legacy. They are precisely cut, delicately constructed and exquisitely embroidered using a variety of techniques.
One of the dresses on display is a full-length evening gown of cream silk tulle with a bodice decorated with intricate smocking. The pattern of the smocking resembles interlocking hexagons.
Andrew Macdonald, Acting Diretor of the Art Fund, said,
"These exquisite dresses reveal the astonishing cut and design of Madelineine Vionnet's haute couture. Her innovative construction techniques and skilled manipulation of fabric have inspired many of today's leading fashion designers."
Tuesday 19 January 2010
Examples of quilts at the V and A exhibition
Rajah Quilt, Made by convicts on board HMS Rajah, 1841, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (click image for larger version) 
Bishops Court quilt, Unknown, 1690-1700. Museum no. T.201-1984 (click image for larger version) If you would like to see more quilts which will be on display please look at the V and A website:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/Quilts/
Monday 18 January 2010
Exhibition of Quilts at the V & A Museum
Quilts 1700-2010
The V & A will present its first ever exhibition of British quilts. It is a unique opportunity to view the V & A's unseen quilt collection as well as key national loans.
Earliest examples include a sumptuous silk and velvet bedcover, with an oral narrative that links it to King Charles II's visit to an Exeter manor house in the late 17th century.
Recent examples will include works by leading artists such as Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin.
The exhibition will be presented chronologically and thematically. The contemporary works will include the following themes: The Domestic Landscape; Private Thoughts; Public Debates; British Eccentricity; Making a Living and Memory and Memorial.
The Exhibition will begin on the 20th March and will end on the 4th July, 2010.
It sounds really interesting and well worth a visit.
The V & A will present its first ever exhibition of British quilts. It is a unique opportunity to view the V & A's unseen quilt collection as well as key national loans.
Earliest examples include a sumptuous silk and velvet bedcover, with an oral narrative that links it to King Charles II's visit to an Exeter manor house in the late 17th century.
Recent examples will include works by leading artists such as Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin.
The exhibition will be presented chronologically and thematically. The contemporary works will include the following themes: The Domestic Landscape; Private Thoughts; Public Debates; British Eccentricity; Making a Living and Memory and Memorial.
The Exhibition will begin on the 20th March and will end on the 4th July, 2010.
It sounds really interesting and well worth a visit.
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Exhibitions of Textiles
Do you know of any exhibitions of textiles relating to historic properties in your area?
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