Thought you might enjoy some pictures to get you in the mood for Origin. By the way, its week 2 that I'm exhibiting in, so mark it in your diaries folks! Really hope to see you there.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
New work!
In preparation for the forthcoming Origin show in October, I have been very busy making new work. Lots of new techniques as well as some reworked older ones.....
Thought you might enjoy some pictures to get you in the mood for Origin. By the way, its week 2 that I'm exhibiting in, so mark it in your diaries folks! Really hope to see you there.
Thought you might enjoy some pictures to get you in the mood for Origin. By the way, its week 2 that I'm exhibiting in, so mark it in your diaries folks! Really hope to see you there.
Friday, September 18, 2009
YSH London TEN exhibition
I'm delighted that to invite you to come and see some brand new work at the YSH London Ten exhibition next week, part of the London Design Festival. I'm exhibiting alongside some fantastic textile artists and designers in a great venue. I'll be at the show on the first day (Monday) so let me know if you can make it along! Hope to see you there!
YSH Press Release:
Yshlondon.com presents Ysh London Ten :
An innovative Textiles, Fashion and Interiors exhibition featuring Ten of the best UK-based designers, artists and recent graduates. Held at the exclusive Westbourne Studios, London from the 21st of September to the 25th 10am to 6pm, come and view these ten leading designers and artists amongst the amazing exhibition space of Westbourne Studios.
Concetta Gallo / Berit Greinke / Arantza Vilas / Pippa Caley / Marie Molterer / Laura Thomas / Ella Robinson / Kitty Joseph / Chloe Scadding / Debbie Smyth
Ysh London will also be exhibiting street fashion photographs from contributors based in London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai, and www.Yshlondon.com will be online at the exhibition for visitors to try out.
Exhibitors are hosting a pop-up shop containing amazing take-me-home treats; after shopping at our pop-up shop, feel free to relax in the member’s only plush Westbourne Studio’s bar afterwards!
Free admittance
Westbourne Studios, 242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ
Tube; Westbourne Park - Hammersmith and city line
Bus; 28, 31 and 328
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sense Art Fair, London,
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update to remind you that I'll be in London this coming weekend exhibiting at the Sense Art Fair. I'll be showing a range of my Resonate sculptures but also some brand new miniature pieces starting at £9.50. They measure 5x5x2cm.
Details are as follows:
http://sensesummerartfair.tumblr.com/
DATE:
Private View 24 July 2009
Friday 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Main Show 25 & 26 July 2009
Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00pm
TICKETS:
Register for your free private view ticket:
http://sensesummerartfair.eventbrite.com/
CONTACT:
jhanne[at]senseworldwide.com
debbie[at]senseworldwide.com
DETAILS:
You are invited to a Summer Art Fair. You can browse and buy a selection of art pieces made by members of the Sense Network.
The Sense Network is a collaboration of creative thinkers and doers from around the world.
The idea came about as the perfect vehicle to promote the idea of the Sense Network and the Sensers themselves. The idea is simple. This show will be a platform for artists on the Sense Network to showcase their work.
Hope to see you there!
Just a quick update to remind you that I'll be in London this coming weekend exhibiting at the Sense Art Fair. I'll be showing a range of my Resonate sculptures but also some brand new miniature pieces starting at £9.50. They measure 5x5x2cm.
Details are as follows:
http://sensesummerartfair.tumblr.com/
DATE:
Private View 24 July 2009
Friday 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Main Show 25 & 26 July 2009
Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00pm
TICKETS:
Register for your free private view ticket:
http://sensesummerartfair.eventbrite.com/
CONTACT:
jhanne[at]senseworldwide.com
debbie[at]senseworldwide.com
DETAILS:
You are invited to a Summer Art Fair. You can browse and buy a selection of art pieces made by members of the Sense Network.
The Sense Network is a collaboration of creative thinkers and doers from around the world.
The idea came about as the perfect vehicle to promote the idea of the Sense Network and the Sensers themselves. The idea is simple. This show will be a platform for artists on the Sense Network to showcase their work.
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Ashes Vessel
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, I was recently commissioned to design and make a celebratory vessel to commemorate the Ashes coming to Cardiff for the first time. On Thursday 9th July the vessel was presented by the Welsh Assembly Minister for Sport, Alun Ffred Jones to Dr John Bannon, director of Cricket Australia, at a media reception at Cardiff Castle.
The Ashes Vessel, was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales and Safle - public art Wales. The vessel takes its inspiration from the spin of a cricket ball and will not only be a commemoration of the first test match to take place in Wales, but also a symbol of friendship between Wales and Australia. The vessel will then be displayed in the prestigious Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
This commission is the first piece of work that I have made that moves away from my previous geometric forms into a more fluid aesthetic. The vessel which measures 55x18cm, contains 33 taut, twisted hand woven ribbons in gold Lurex and black cotton. As the ribbons cast their shadows on the surface below, the layered twists and turns have dramatic visual impact that changes as you move your vantage point around the piece.
Alun Ffred Jones said:
"The presentation of this artwork means that Australia are guaranteed a trophy whatever happens in the rest of the Ashes series! The form of the piece seems suggestive to me of the flow of a closely-fought test match, with high points at the beginning and end and with twists and turns throughout its course. In that way, I hope that it reflects this first test match in Wales and brings back fond memories of the event for our Australian visitors."
David Alston, Arts Director for Arts Council of Wales, said:
"Arts Council of Wales is delighted to be a part of The Ashes Vessel Artist's Commission. Laura Thomas, an exceptional young artist, who recently received a Creative Wales Ambassadors Award, has created a stunning piece of work which is a fitting reminder of this momentous occasion for Wales."
Below are some stunning photographs taken by Kutchibok Design showing the piece from various angles:
And here we have some photo's from the Media Reception at Cardiff Castle. These photographs are courtesy of Steve Pope of Sporting Wales and must not be reproduced without his express permission. Please contact him directly if you want to use these images: steve@sportingwales.com
The Ashes Vessel, was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales and Safle - public art Wales. The vessel takes its inspiration from the spin of a cricket ball and will not only be a commemoration of the first test match to take place in Wales, but also a symbol of friendship between Wales and Australia. The vessel will then be displayed in the prestigious Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
This commission is the first piece of work that I have made that moves away from my previous geometric forms into a more fluid aesthetic. The vessel which measures 55x18cm, contains 33 taut, twisted hand woven ribbons in gold Lurex and black cotton. As the ribbons cast their shadows on the surface below, the layered twists and turns have dramatic visual impact that changes as you move your vantage point around the piece.
Alun Ffred Jones said:
"The presentation of this artwork means that Australia are guaranteed a trophy whatever happens in the rest of the Ashes series! The form of the piece seems suggestive to me of the flow of a closely-fought test match, with high points at the beginning and end and with twists and turns throughout its course. In that way, I hope that it reflects this first test match in Wales and brings back fond memories of the event for our Australian visitors."
David Alston, Arts Director for Arts Council of Wales, said:
"Arts Council of Wales is delighted to be a part of The Ashes Vessel Artist's Commission. Laura Thomas, an exceptional young artist, who recently received a Creative Wales Ambassadors Award, has created a stunning piece of work which is a fitting reminder of this momentous occasion for Wales."
Below are some stunning photographs taken by Kutchibok Design showing the piece from various angles:
And here we have some photo's from the Media Reception at Cardiff Castle. These photographs are courtesy of Steve Pope of Sporting Wales and must not be reproduced without his express permission. Please contact him directly if you want to use these images: steve@sportingwales.com
Friday, May 15, 2009
Ruthin Craft Centre shortlisted for the Art Fund Prize
The Ruthin Craft Centre has been short-listed for The Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries 2009.
The Art Fund Prize of £100,000 is the largest single arts prize in the UK and recognises and rewards the best new development of the previous calendar year in a museum or gallery, large or small, anywhere in the United Kingdom.
On Front Row Lord Puttnam said, "Ruthin Craft Centre is a lovely surprise, everyone who'd been there was knocked sideways by it, and it got four votes very quickly. It is run by people with amazing commitment and a historical commitment to arts in North Wales – the thing's got it all actually – it is the sort of thing you would like to see replicated in every single region and community in the Country".
There are 4 galleries short-listed and this year one of the eight votes to judge the winner of the Prize will come from the public.
The winner of this People's Choice will count as the eighth vote when the panel of seven judges make their decision on the winner in June.
Please visit The Guardian website and give your support to Ruthin Craft Centre. It really is remarkable gallery for Wales and the UK as a whole to be proud of. Exhibitions of the highest quality are complimented by exceptional publications in a remarkable architectural space. Its true I may be a little biased, but I really do think that it would be an well deserved accolade for the Ruthin team and the contemporary craft sector in general.
The Art Fund Prize of £100,000 is the largest single arts prize in the UK and recognises and rewards the best new development of the previous calendar year in a museum or gallery, large or small, anywhere in the United Kingdom.
On Front Row Lord Puttnam said, "Ruthin Craft Centre is a lovely surprise, everyone who'd been there was knocked sideways by it, and it got four votes very quickly. It is run by people with amazing commitment and a historical commitment to arts in North Wales – the thing's got it all actually – it is the sort of thing you would like to see replicated in every single region and community in the Country".
There are 4 galleries short-listed and this year one of the eight votes to judge the winner of the Prize will come from the public.
The winner of this People's Choice will count as the eighth vote when the panel of seven judges make their decision on the winner in June.
Please visit The Guardian website and give your support to Ruthin Craft Centre. It really is remarkable gallery for Wales and the UK as a whole to be proud of. Exhibitions of the highest quality are complimented by exceptional publications in a remarkable architectural space. Its true I may be a little biased, but I really do think that it would be an well deserved accolade for the Ruthin team and the contemporary craft sector in general.
Good news x 3......
Well, maybe good things really do happen in three's....
Firstly I'm really delighted to announce that on the 29th April 2009, I was one of four recipients of a Creative Wales Ambassador Award from the Arts Council of Wales. 'This new award scheme is part of the Arts Council of Wales's Beacon scheme for individual artists and organisations. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the aim of the Creative Wales Ambassadors Awards is to recognise significant individual achievement in the arts, to raise the profile of Welsh culture outside of Wales and to provide financial support to enable the artist to develop a new programme of work.'
Exciting creative projects lie ahead of me now, that I may not have been able to readily explore if it were not for the opportunity afforded to me by this Award. I am looking forward with enthusiasm to getting started with a new body of work which will see me creating more ambitious, larger scale works for exhibition in my host organisations, Ruthin Craft Centre and Brown Grotta Arts in the USA. Amongst the other threads of my work, I will also be forging closer links with architectural design research partners and working with Welsh mills on a design-art collection, which will all be complimented by my ongoing curatorial and education activity in Wales.
Secondly, I have just been awarded a commission to produce a 'vessel' to be presented to the Australian Cricket delegation when the first Ashes match is played in Cardiff this summer.
And lastly, I am delighted that I have once again been accepted to exhibit at Origin, the Crafts Council Show at Somerset House in October later this year.
Aside from all that excitement, this last month really has been a flurry of activity. Alongside my usual teaching on the BA Contemporary Textiles course in the West Wales School of the Arts, I have being running a series of 'Architextiles' workshops in the Welsh School of Architecture with Dr Wayne Forster. This has been an immensely enjoyable challenge encouraging first and second year architecture students to explore and draw upon the textile fundamentals of colour, pattern, texture and structure, to generate conceptual architectural proposals for a 'wonder wall'.
After appealing for help with my Architextiles research on the Weave-tech forum, I had a huge number of emails from interested weavers around the world into this activity, so I'm intending to record this series of workshops in a forthcoming blog once the project is completed.
I am also continuing to work on my first curation project 'The Warp and the Weft', which will be a group exhibition at the Oriel Myrddin Gallery in Carmarthen in 2010. I will be co-curating this with Meg Anthony, the Oriel Myrddin curator. The concept of the exhibition is to highlight 'unexpected' woven textiles. Exhibitors may use 'unexpected' aesthetics or perhaps integrate 'unexpected' technology into their textiles. At the end of this month Meg and I will be visiting the Crafts Study Centre in Farnham is select a piece by Peter Collingwood from the recently acquired archive of his work.
As for this weekend, after giving a talk on my work to the Bristol Embroidery Guild, I am looking forward to squeezing in a visit to COLLECT and the Stroud International Textiles Festival......
Until next time..... L x
Firstly I'm really delighted to announce that on the 29th April 2009, I was one of four recipients of a Creative Wales Ambassador Award from the Arts Council of Wales. 'This new award scheme is part of the Arts Council of Wales's Beacon scheme for individual artists and organisations. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the aim of the Creative Wales Ambassadors Awards is to recognise significant individual achievement in the arts, to raise the profile of Welsh culture outside of Wales and to provide financial support to enable the artist to develop a new programme of work.'
Exciting creative projects lie ahead of me now, that I may not have been able to readily explore if it were not for the opportunity afforded to me by this Award. I am looking forward with enthusiasm to getting started with a new body of work which will see me creating more ambitious, larger scale works for exhibition in my host organisations, Ruthin Craft Centre and Brown Grotta Arts in the USA. Amongst the other threads of my work, I will also be forging closer links with architectural design research partners and working with Welsh mills on a design-art collection, which will all be complimented by my ongoing curatorial and education activity in Wales.
Secondly, I have just been awarded a commission to produce a 'vessel' to be presented to the Australian Cricket delegation when the first Ashes match is played in Cardiff this summer.
And lastly, I am delighted that I have once again been accepted to exhibit at Origin, the Crafts Council Show at Somerset House in October later this year.
Aside from all that excitement, this last month really has been a flurry of activity. Alongside my usual teaching on the BA Contemporary Textiles course in the West Wales School of the Arts, I have being running a series of 'Architextiles' workshops in the Welsh School of Architecture with Dr Wayne Forster. This has been an immensely enjoyable challenge encouraging first and second year architecture students to explore and draw upon the textile fundamentals of colour, pattern, texture and structure, to generate conceptual architectural proposals for a 'wonder wall'.
After appealing for help with my Architextiles research on the Weave-tech forum, I had a huge number of emails from interested weavers around the world into this activity, so I'm intending to record this series of workshops in a forthcoming blog once the project is completed.
I am also continuing to work on my first curation project 'The Warp and the Weft', which will be a group exhibition at the Oriel Myrddin Gallery in Carmarthen in 2010. I will be co-curating this with Meg Anthony, the Oriel Myrddin curator. The concept of the exhibition is to highlight 'unexpected' woven textiles. Exhibitors may use 'unexpected' aesthetics or perhaps integrate 'unexpected' technology into their textiles. At the end of this month Meg and I will be visiting the Crafts Study Centre in Farnham is select a piece by Peter Collingwood from the recently acquired archive of his work.
As for this weekend, after giving a talk on my work to the Bristol Embroidery Guild, I am looking forward to squeezing in a visit to COLLECT and the Stroud International Textiles Festival......
Until next time..... L x
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
some new photo's to share with you.......
Some new photo's..... Firstly from the Fibre Art Wales 'Ffibr' exhibition at Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran earlier this year:
'Better than Grey' exhibition at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, 21st January – 7th March 2009, photos by Douglas Atfield: 
'Better than Grey' exhibition at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, 21st January – 7th March 2009, photos by Douglas Atfield: 
And lastly, some new pictures by Pinegate Photogrpahy in Cardiff:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology
I'm delighted to let you know that the 'Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology' book has now been published. I contributed the chapter on Woven Structure to this publication when I was a Visiting Fellow with the Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology research group in the Univeristy of Wales, Newport. It can be ordered directly from Woodhead Publishing.
Facebook, Twitter etc etc.......
Just thought I' add a quick post to let you know that if you're on Facebook, you can 'become a fan' of my work and likewise if you're on Twitter you can follow my (infrequent) updates there too - just search for lmt77. Also I am delighted that Cultural Enterprise (Wales) has re-launched a website, so if you're based in Wales and work in the creative industries do consider creating a profile on this site.....
Monday, March 9, 2009
'Optic Twist' at Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery
Have recently been sent this picture of my latest work 'Optic Twist' which was specially commissioned by Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery for their exhibition 'Better than Grey: a serious consideration of colour'. This was the largest sculpture I have made to date measuring 45x24x12cm. Encapsulated in the acrylic is a hand woven leno fabric in cotton and nylon monofilament. 
The vivid highly contrasting stripes of colour, combined with the leno twists are designed to create dramatic optical effects and afterimages. Below is a detail of the fabric before it was cast:
The vivid highly contrasting stripes of colour, combined with the leno twists are designed to create dramatic optical effects and afterimages. Below is a detail of the fabric before it was cast:
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
'Second Chance' sale at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff - 6-7 Feb
This coming weekend 7-8th Feb I will be taking part in a special sale at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff. 11 members of the Makers Guild in Wales will be selling 'last seasons stock and slight seconds' at hugely reduced prices..... I will be selling work at up to 75% off. I will have a selection of Resonate artworks, plus cushions, scarves and other items for sale - basically I need to clear some space in my studio!
Please do come along and see if there is anything that takes your fancy!
It will be upstairs in the conference room, open from 11am til 5pm.
All sales will be cash or cheque only as this is an event separate from the gallery.
Please tell any friends about this event.
Hope to see you there.
Laura x
Please do come along and see if there is anything that takes your fancy!
It will be upstairs in the conference room, open from 11am til 5pm.
All sales will be cash or cheque only as this is an event separate from the gallery.
Please tell any friends about this event.
Hope to see you there.
Laura x
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Latest news...
The Natural Fibre Company's online shop has now gone live and I am delighted that one of my designs for them is featured.... hopefully more will be added soon. Please visit the site (and buy!)
A selection of my Resonate Collection of sculptures have gone on display in the craft showcase at Newport Art Gallery and Museum until the 5th Feb 2009. This includes one new piece entitled 'Chromascope':
The Christmas Exhibition at Craft in the Bay in the Cardiff is well and truly underway now and I'm very happy to say that my work is selling well. However, those sales are being regularly replenished, so please do still pay a visit!
And lastly, I am very excited that Drusilla Cole's book 'Textiles Now' which features some of my work has finally hit the bookstores! Not that I'm biased, but this is a wonderful book exemplifying the very best in contemporary textile design.... well worth purchasing!
Until next time.....
A selection of my Resonate Collection of sculptures have gone on display in the craft showcase at Newport Art Gallery and Museum until the 5th Feb 2009. This includes one new piece entitled 'Chromascope':
The Christmas Exhibition at Craft in the Bay in the Cardiff is well and truly underway now and I'm very happy to say that my work is selling well. However, those sales are being regularly replenished, so please do still pay a visit!
And lastly, I am very excited that Drusilla Cole's book 'Textiles Now' which features some of my work has finally hit the bookstores! Not that I'm biased, but this is a wonderful book exemplifying the very best in contemporary textile design.... well worth purchasing!
Until next time.....
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Forthcoming exhibitions and events
I delighted to report that Brown Grotta Arts is now representing me in the USA. I have just sent them a selection of recent 'Loose Threads' sculptures which this week will be exhibited at the prestigious SOFA Chicago (Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art). Please visit the Brown Grotta website to see my work.
Last moth PARKart represented me at The Affordable Art in London, and I was thrilled that sales were buoyant and my work well received. This weekend (8-9 November) they are hosting 'Art in Action' a special weekend of promotional events in Selfridges were they also exhibit some of my work. Please visit the fourth floor of Selridges, where you'll be able to see:
From the 4th December - 5th February 2009, you will be able to see a selection of my 'Resonate' work showcased in the Newport City Art Gallery
And finally don't forget that my work can also be found in the Ruthin Craft Centre, North Wales; the Margo Selby shop, London; an the Inspires Art Gallery in Oxford.
Last moth PARKart represented me at The Affordable Art in London, and I was thrilled that sales were buoyant and my work well received. This weekend (8-9 November) they are hosting 'Art in Action' a special weekend of promotional events in Selfridges were they also exhibit some of my work. Please visit the fourth floor of Selridges, where you'll be able to see:
- Celebrity Snapping by Tony Briggs
- Restoration by Alison Gunter
- Graffiti by Tom Lewis
From the 4th December - 5th February 2009, you will be able to see a selection of my 'Resonate' work showcased in the Newport City Art Gallery
And finally don't forget that my work can also be found in the Ruthin Craft Centre, North Wales; the Margo Selby shop, London; an the Inspires Art Gallery in Oxford.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Origin etc
Well, once again I am starting my post with an apology for the lack of blogging activity recently.... must try harder!
Earlier this month I was exhibiting at Origin, the Crafts Council show at Somerset House in London. This was my second year there after a great exhibition in 2007. Akin to last year, I was given a fantastic stand, right by the show entrance - nobody could possibly miss me!
It was once again a busy show - great sales and contacts were made. The Thursday evening also saw me receiving my Wesley Barrell Craft Award for Interior Textiles which was the icing on the cake for the whole event.
It was also particularly wonderful to see some of the people that bought pieces from me last year.
This last picture shows me on the last day, somewhat tired and now if my comfy shoes!
As for other news: PARKart took some of my work to the Affordable Art Fair in London last week. They have also placed some of my 'Jacquard Sketch' artworks in Selfridge's, Oxford Street, London. You can see the work on the fourth floor in the Loft Living and BoConcept concessions.
Earlier this month I was exhibiting at Origin, the Crafts Council show at Somerset House in London. This was my second year there after a great exhibition in 2007. Akin to last year, I was given a fantastic stand, right by the show entrance - nobody could possibly miss me!
It was once again a busy show - great sales and contacts were made. The Thursday evening also saw me receiving my Wesley Barrell Craft Award for Interior Textiles which was the icing on the cake for the whole event.
It was also particularly wonderful to see some of the people that bought pieces from me last year.
This last picture shows me on the last day, somewhat tired and now if my comfy shoes!
As for other news: PARKart took some of my work to the Affordable Art Fair in London last week. They have also placed some of my 'Jacquard Sketch' artworks in Selfridge's, Oxford Street, London. You can see the work on the fourth floor in the Loft Living and BoConcept concessions.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Images from the Model House Craft and Design Centre solo exhibition
Just thought I would share a few photographs with you from the little solo show that is on at the Model House Craft and Design Centre at the moment......
The exhibition is on until the end of August.......
The exhibition is on until the end of August.......
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