Category: Random

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Ekta Kaul – Meet the Artist

Ekta Kaul is an award-winning textile artist known for her embroidered maps. Her work is held in collections including Crafts Council, Liberty of London, the Gunnersbury Museum, and Chiswick Library to name a few. Her work is about making with meaning. It enables her to express herself through thread and fabric and to tell stories of place, history and belonging. Stitch connects Ekta to her Indian heritage, especially her mother and ancestors who embroidered. In this exhibition, artist Ekta Kaul explores her connection to place, duality of home, memory and identity through cloth and stitch.

Join Ekta, as she shares the stitches and stories behind her work.

Ekta Kaul: https://www.ektakaul.com/ 

Kantha: Sustainable Textiles and Mindful Making Book by Ekta Kaul: https://amzn.to/4bzk2sX

Hand embroidery by Ekta Kaul
Hand embroidery by Ekta Kaul
Map of London
Map of London

“I grew up in India surrounded by beautiful textiles. My mother was a prolific needlewoman, along with my grandmother who quilted. Together they instilled a love of textiles in me. As I grappled with the idea of home after I had moved away from India to the UK, embroidery became a way to access the memories and comfort of home and a connection to the women in my family.” Ekta.

In memory of her Grandmother
In memory of her Grandmother

Filmed at the Festival of Quilts 2023.

For a little more inspiration, please browse the ‘Meet the Artist’ collection on my YouTube Channel.

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Heritage of Lancashire Exhibition

A little textile inspiration from my YouTube Collection. Today it features some contemporary & traditional embroiderers from the English county of Lancashire in an exhibition celebrating the heritage of Lancashire.

The ‘Colours, Textures & Heritage of Lancashire’ group exhibition brings together work from  members of the Ribble Creative Stitchers and Bolton Stitch & Textile Groups.

Textile artist Susan Fielding guides us through the exhibition.

Artwork in the Heritage of Lancashire Exhibition
Artwork in the Heritage of Lancashire Exhibition

“The exhibition was inspired by the people and places of our home county. For some of us the rural landscapes of hills, moors and coastal areas, and the habitat they provide for native animals and birds were a major source of creativity. For others, the architecture of some of our historic buildings and the urban landscapes of the mill towns acted as a stimulus.”  

Members used a combination of both traditional and contemporary textile practices, coupled with mixed-media techniques, to produce creative and inspiring textile art.

Lancashire cotton mill workers wrapped in tweed shawls
Lancashire cotton mill workers wrapped in tweed shawls

The stunning venue – the Coach House Gallery at the 400 year old Astley Hall in Chorley, England – is a perfect setting for the work.

Filmed in September 2022. 

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In Natura Exhibition

Close up of the hand embroidered bees in yellow and slate grey

I’m please to announce that Worker Bees has been selected by Juliana Lauletta, curator at Artly Mix, for the In Natura exhibition in Brazil.

This international exhibition featuring high resolution prints of artworks alongside physical artworks created by local artists in Brazil takes place in June.

‘In Natura’ Exhibition
3rd – 17th June 2023
Echo’s Studio
Rua Pelotas, 400 – Vila Mariana
Sao Paulo – Brazil

In Natura Exhibition
In Natura Exhibition

‘In Natura’ is a captivating group art show that delves into the profound beauty and fragile interconnection between humanity and the natural world. As a celebration of the World Environment Day (5 June 2023), the exhibition serves as a powerful platform to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues and promote positive action. 

By bringing together 23 artists from 13 different countries, ‘In Natura’ presents a diverse range of perspectives and artistic expressions that transcend borders and cultures. Established and emerging artists are showcased side by side, fostering a vibrant dialogue that illuminates the urgent need for global collaboration in addressing environmental challenges and envisions a future where humans and nature exist in harmonious balance.

Juliana Lauletta, curator at Artly Mix