I’ve just heard that 2016 will be the last Art in Action ever. So sad. Such an amazing event that will be sadly missed. This year’s date is already in my diary, but I wanted to show you how brilliant last years event was.
……..Art in Action 2015 was as a sunny and inspiring as ever.
The Show was held on part of a working farm at Waterperry. There was plenty of space for parking and for the twenty plus marquees that were bursting with every artistic talent imaginable.
This fabulous Sculpture was at the entrance to the Show
I had a wonderful day out with a fellow ‘mad textile’ girlfriend. Our first port of call is always the Textile Tent – so much talent! I loved chatting to the artists and finding out about the techniques & materials they used. It was a perfect time to check out if they had spaces on future workshops. Between us we managed to chat to every wool, textile, embroidery, illustrative, printing and clay artist at the Show – that’s lots of talking!
By the end of the day, we were on such a high – our feet were killing us, our shopping bags were full and our heads were bursting with ideas. A perfect day.
We couldn’t wait to get home and try out some ideas for ourselves.
I can’t wait for Art in Action 2016!
This exhibition was only open to the public for a very limited time – Friday 18th and Saturday 19th March 2016 at the Crossing Gallery, Central St Martins, Kings Cross, London.
A strict embargo on publicity had been imposed by HBO and lifted just days before the event.
THE STORY……..
The Game of Thrones is a fantasy TV drama series, named after the first book in a series called “A Song of Ice and Fire” by author George R R Martin. There have been 5 series so far with the 6th due to be launched in April 2016. It is filmed in Belfast and on locations in Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, Spain, Scotland and the USA.
The series is set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos and interweaves several plot lines with a large ensemble cast. It attracted a record number of viewers and received widespread acclaim including 26 Prime Time Emmy Awards. The novels and their adaptations derive aspects of their settings, characters and plots from various events in European history, including the English War of the Roses.
The embroidered image features a “White Walker”. He is one of a mythical race which descended on Westeros from the farthest north and polar regions of the lands of “Always Winter”. They kill everything in their path. Their arrival is usually accompanied by blizzards and dropping temperatures.
Following on from the success of the Magna Carta embroidery and the Guild’s role in its production, the UK representatives of the HBO Home Entertainment TV Network contacted the Embroiderers’ Guild with the view to creating a special artwork in stitch to form the backdrop to mark the release of the ‘Game of Thrones’ Series 5 DVD & Blue Ray boxed set.
The Embroiderers’ Guild led the design and production of the piece and invited stitch partners The Royal School of Needlework, Hand & Lock and Fine Cell Work to participate. The final image was selected by HBO in December. It features one of the most intense battle scenes in TV history – the massacre of Hardhome. The first design and production meeting took place just before Christmas 2015, stitching started in mid January 2016 and the piece, measuring 5 metres in length and 4 metres high (nearly 17ft x 13ft 6 inches), was completed during the second week of March 2016… an outstanding achievement by all concerned.
Anthea Godfrey
Anthea Godfrey, Artistic Director of the Embroiderers’ Guild and Project Manager, commented: “This has been an amazing project that truly has brought the embroidery community together across the whole of the UK.There is a huge variety of textile skills involved in making the piece, including digital print, surface stitch, machine embroidery, metal thread work beading, applique and quilting. We are really proud to have been involved”.
I spoke to Anthea, and she said she was working with HBO and others to exhibit this fantastic piece later on in the year.
*** Update: There’s a new book available, all about the stunning Game of Thrones Costumes from Season 1 through to Season 8 !
Game of Thrones: The Costumes: The official costume design book of Season 1 to Season 8 Book
As you might have gathered from some of my previous posts, my textile chum and I have regular trips here, there and everywhere in search of the latest inspiration in pattern and cloth.
We both dabble in embroidery and felt-making. I have a background in patchwork and quilting and my chum is a tailoress. Every now and again we come across an exhibition that enthrals and captivates us. The Liberty exhibition ticked all the boxes. The Fashion and Textile Museum’s fabulously high ceilings and interchangeable space was arranged to display the pieces beautifully. Many of its previous textile exhibitions haven’t been behind glass enabling visitors to see each garment up close. The Liberty Exhibition was no exception. You could see every stitch, texture and surface embellishment unhindered so the true beauty of the fabric shone through.
We were taken on a journey through time from the Court Dresses of the 1900’s, the Arts and Crafts movement, the Swinging 60’s through to Liberty in 2016.
Here is a just a flavour of the exhibition – enjoy.
1900-1910 Court Dress and Afternoon Dress, Spitalfields Silk Brocade
Early 1900’s Kimono Style
Embroidered detail – Kimono Style garment
1910 -1920 A celebration and revival of the art of Smocking
1930-1940 Silk, Cotton.
Garments mainly made by dressmakers, but some are beginning to be commercially made.
1950’s A revival in Art Nouveau patterns.
The Swinging 60’s. Influence by the pattern of Art Deco.
Cotton, Cotton voile, Cotton Velveteen, wool, Tana Lawn.
1970’s Nostalia. Tana Lawn
1970’s – Silk, cotton, velveteen, wool.
1999 – Collaboration with Jimmy Choo
Liberty in 2016
The photos capture the essence of the exhibition which finishes at the end of February 2016. I can definitely recommend a visit – especially for the Liberty fans out there.
