How to Scam an Artist
Modern life means that we all need to be on the lookout for scams. We are wary when a ‘friend’ sends an email saying that they have been mugged in Barcelona, and could we please send money to pay their hotel bill. But some scams…
Textiles at the Venice Biennale: part 2
As I said in Part 1, the Venice Biennale is thought of as the Olympics of the art world. It means that you can see art which would never normally cross your path. Where else can you see the work of artists from Uganda or…
What not to say to a tapestry weaver
No doubt every professional suffers the indignity of ignorant remarks, once people know what their calling is, from wanting a medical diagnosis at a drinks party to those who think they understand police procedure from watching television. Tapestry weavers are in the same boat. Whether…
Is it a tapestry? Yes.
It makes you want to scream. If you type ‘tapestry’ into Amazon, you find that a tapestry can be yours for £4.99! Often they are described as ‘hippie’ or ‘mandala’ and may be 100% polyester. One site states, ‘Hang your tapestries up, use them as…
The Art is the Cloth
Tapestry weaving has gained a new prominence lately, with quite a few books published on the subject. They range from how-to ones to histories of the medium in general or about a given work, era or workshop. But until now, there haven’t been any that…
Stolen Tapestries
In the late 1970s a number of us formed the Scottish Tapestry Artist Group (STAG) to help promote tapestry weaving mainly by having exhibitions. Our shows included the work of both established artists and more recent graduates. We were excited when our third main show…
Archie Brennan (1931-2019) and the time he made me cry
Archie was one of my teachers in the Tapestry Department at Edinburgh College of Art in the 1970s, along with Maureen Hodge and Fiona Mathison. He was there less often than they were but he was a strong force, highly regarded for his abilities as…
Are textiles art or craft – what the critics say
Those of us who create tapestries in the widest sense of the term consider that we are making art. However we are often annoyed or even angered by the way our work is perceived, especially by those who should know better, the art critics. Here…