Friday 24 April 2015

North West Region Exhibitions

Megastitchers (Manchester Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild) are putting on a display of work by members entitled "Garden Inspirations" from Sunday 9th May to Sunday 16th May 9.30 to 5.30 at The Old Parsonage, Stenner Lane, Manchester, M20 2RQ (0161 445 7661).

Ten Plus Textiles have an exhibition at the Silk Museum, Park Lane , Macclesfield, SK11 6TJ (01625 623210) called "Ten Plus @ the Silk Museum" from now until 30th May.

Preston Embroiderers' Guild are having an Open Day on Saturday 2nd May from 10.30 to 2.00 at St Andrew's C of E Church Hall, 240 Tulketh Road, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, PR2 1ES.

Preston Threads are displaying work inspired by Historical Maritime Collections called "Time and Tide".  From now until 21st June it will be at Lancaster Maritime Museum, St George's Quay, Lancaster, LA1 1RB (01524 382264).  From 27th June to 31 October it will be at Fleetwood Museum, Queens Terrace, Fleetwood, FY7 6BT (01253876621).

ArtyBird Carnforth School for Art and Textiles are "Celebrating 2015" at the Bateman Gallery Heritage Centre, Carnforth Railway Station, LA5 9TR from now until 27th June, 10 to 4.

See the North West Region website for details of these and other events.
 (www.nwregionembroiderers.org)

Tuesday 14 April 2015

Nikki Parmenter

Nikki Parmenter brought a large selection of her work to today's meeting and introduced us to her method of working. She starts with a sketchbook in which she makes the most beautiful drawings which she prints onto acetate.
 
She then paints them and attaches them to all manner of fabrics and embellishes them with everything you can imagine, including nail varnish, cake cases, Christmas baubles, trinkets, as well as the more usual such as lace medallions. She started small
 
but her work grew with more and more pieces being joined to make very involved hangings.


She even used the train of her mother's wedding dress to produce this piece.

 
The work repays close study as there are many animals and motifs contained in the work.

Gaia

fish

owl and the pussycat
 
Nikki also produces 3D work such as this elephant carrying the world on its back and standing on a turtle.
the world is made from a ballcock and the elephant's tusks from hosepipe
 
 detail of the turtle shell
 
 
As each item was produced there was a gasp from the audience who obviously appreciated the amount of work that had gone in to each item. Nikki is currently working on a "Peace Piece" and she showed us some of her panels that are ready to be pieced together (including some on foam pipe cladding)