The Beaney, Canterbury

The Beaney windows

And so after being awarded one of the Museumaker commissions in 2010, the resulting triptych windows for The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge are finally unveiled.

The windows were commissioned by The Beaney in Canterbury as part of the Museumaker programme which was supported by Arts Council England, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and the Renaissance programme. Whilst most of the Museumaker commissions were temporary site specific works, I was invited to make something permanent to be integrated into the building as part of its extensive refurbishment and new extension. Having seen my ‘Resonate’ work whereby seemingly loose threads are encapsulated in acrylic resin to make wall panels and sculptures, I was encouraged to think about scaling up this principle for a triptych window. Practical needs meant that I also had to translate the aesthetic from cast resin into laminated glass.  

The selected design sees a transition from deep dark reds densely packed at the bottom of the window, gradating into scarlet then finally very openly spaced orange threads at the top of the panes. A combination of cotton, silk and linen threads of varying thicknesses and twists were used so that the interaction of light varies with the fibres, and to so give a greater sense of visual tactility. The unspun silk filament in particular seems to positively glow, whilst the slubbed linen gives a sense of weight and density.

I was delighted to work with Innovative Glass Products to realise this project where I was able to be very hands on in the workshop, literally ensuring each thread was positioned as I wanted. The largest pane in the triptych measures 210x90cm, and remains the largest work of the ilk I have made to date. 

The Beaney reopened to great fanfare on the 5^th September. The windows mark the juncture between the old building and the new extension, and so can be viewed from either side in different contexts – the cafe/shop is on the old building side, and the information and reception desk is on the new building side. I am particularly delighted that the colour palette of the windows has been used as a basis throughout the building – from the staff uniforms to the upholstery on the library seats.

Love the red light highlighting the desk to echo the windows

Staff uniform colour has been choosen to pick up on the orange threads in the windows

Information desk in the new extension

From the cafe side of the window in the old building

 

Gratuitous baby picture :-)

The Culture Awards 2012

Following on from The Beaney / Museumaker commission, I was invited to produce the awards for this years Culture Awards. The awards 'were created to recognise the important role of culture as part of the history and fabric of the Canterbury District, to highlight individual achievements and to celebrate the quality, diversity and vibrancy that makes up the cultural scene here and across East Kent.'

The 10 awards are composed of gradating tones of cotton and silk threads encapsulated in acrylic resin..... and below you can see the happy winners! For the full list of winners check out the Culture Awards website

Museumaker commission for The Beaney, Canterbury

During December + January, I was busily completing my Museumaker commission for The Beaney Art Gallery and Museum in Canterbury.  After a couple of shifts in focus from my original proposal, it was decided that I would create some 'Loose Threads' windows: an interpretation of my acrylic sculptures into laminated glass. The windows are just over 2 metres in height, and the widest centre panel is 86cm. Huge thanks to Rodney at Innovative Glass Products for his brilliant help in making the windows.

The Museum is currently closed for redevelopment, due to reopen to great fanfare in the summer of 2012. The windows have now been put in storage and are due to be installed in the Autumn, so for the time being I can just share with you these photos of the windows being made.

The Beaney Museum and Art Gallery, Canterbury



The new extension designed by John Miller and Sidell Gibson Architects



The window, marking the juncture between the old and the new building

The selected design in gradating reds to orange

One of the finished panels in the Innovative Glass Products workshop

Detail of the cotton, linen and silk threads laminated in toughened low iron glass

Detail of the cotton, linen and silk threads laminated in toughened low iron glass

Two of the panels side by side in the Innovative Glass Products workshop

The centre panel and lunette

Latest news....

Just thought I’d let you know about some forthcoming events and other bits of news.

Firstly, you can find me from this Friday to Sunday at Wales’ first major contemporary craft fair: Made by Hand at Tredegar House in Newport. I’ll be exhibiting my Resonate sculptures and a number of framed ‘Jacquard Sketches’. I will also have a small table loom on the stand so you can get a glimpse of the weaving process. My stand number is P66 which is in the Pavilion. The opening hours are as follows:

Friday 11-7pm
Saturday 10-5pm
Sunday 10-5pm

Adult Day Ticket £5
Accompanied children under 14 FREE
Concessions (aged 15-18, students, unwaged & OAPS) £4
Family Day Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children aged 15-18) £15
3 Day Weekend Ticket £9/£7 concession.

This Saturday, a major exhibition of Anni Albers work opens at Ruthin Craft Centre. For those of you that are unfamiliar with her, Albers was one of the most influential weave designers and artists of the last century. A graduate of the famous Bauhaus, this is a rare treat to see some of her graphic pattern design and woven samples in the UK, thanks to The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in the USA. Alongside this exhibition, there is a complimentary show entitled Inspired By: The Legacy of Anni Albers, which I am honoured to have two significant new pieces of work in. Ruthin Craft Centre is open 7 days a week and entry is free. The show continues to the 6th Feb 2011.

Alongside these events I have been busy finalising the design for the Museumaker commission to create a triptych window for The Beaney Museum and Art Gallery in Canterbury. The Museum is currently closed for renovation and for the building of an exciting new extension designed by SidellGibson Architects The commission will see the translation of my characteristic Loose Threads resin sculptures into laminated glass. Pictures of the final design and making process will soon be published on my blog: www.laurathomaswoventextiles.blogspot.com (please subscribe!)

The warp+weft exhibition I curated for Oriel Myrddin will be touring to Craft in the Bay, Cardiff in the New Year. It will be open to the public from: 7th January – 20th February. I will be giving a free gallery talk at 2pm on the 22nd January. To compliment the exhibition there will be a number of weave workshops and talks from other practitioners. Please visit the Craft in the Bay website for further details. The exhibition will then tour along with the warp+weft: from handloom to production exhibition (currently on at the National Wool Museum until the 8th Jan 2011) to Smith’s Row in Bury St Edmund's, who will also be planning a series of complimentary events. The exhibition will be open to the public from 12th March – 30th April.

I am also busily planning for my next curation project for Llantarnam Grange. The exhibition will feature a new body of work from myself, alongside the work of 5 artist-makers that I have selected. The exhibition is entitled ‘Resonant Colour’ with the connecting thread between the makers and their work being an inherent vibrant and intelligent approach to colour. I am delighted that Sara Moorhouse, Ann Sutton, Nicholas Rena, Heike Brachlow and Kate Blee have all agreed to contribute work. The exhibition will also have publication featuring essays from Sara Moorhouse and Dr Royden Hunt. The exhibition will be open to the public from 19.03.11 - 07.05.11.

Lastly, I shall be moving to a new studio at Model House Craft and Design Centre in Llantrisant, just outside of Cardiff in the New Year. The move-in date has yet to be confirmed, but I shall keep you posted! The Centre has a lovely shop and gallery space downstairs, with around 20 studios upstairs which is open to visitors to have a look around.