Tag Archives: Interlace

Tacit exhibition

Posted in career, Exhibitions, My work by

Tacit – Made in Leicestershire contemporary craft exhibition at LCB Depot 17th-29th September.

My first co-curated contemporary craft exhibition is now open! On Friday I installed Tacit – Made in Leicestershire exhibition at LCB Depot in Leicester. I am working for Creative Leicestershire as a consultant on the Made in Leicestershire brand development and putting together this exhibition and events programme is part of that process. It has been a delight to work with so many brilliant Leicestershire makers and to discover new ones selected by co-curator Jo Keogh. The exhibition is only up for a short time until 29th September with a couple of events next week for makers and for visitors to meet the makers.

Exhibition details here along with studio shots of the makers’ work. Late evening preview event is on Facebook. Leicestershire-based professional artists and makers are invited to a Makers Gathering on Thursday 27th Sept hosted by me for Made in Leicestershire.

This show includes my Tracery hanging and my Interlace collaboration work Halo.

I’ve installed two exhibitions in the space of 10 days so my tool box is well-used and I’m all out of cup hooks and glass cleaner. In my previous career I curated and developed museum exhibitions and have worked on a lot of craft exhibitions too over the years. I really enjoy this kind of work, though having help with the ladders, drilling and lifting from LCB staff was great – I’ve had to go up scaffolding to install things before and it wasn’t my favourite thing. Tacit has been an interesting, if very rushed, project to work on. The exhibition concept was developed by LCB Depot in the summer and they asked me to select makers and sort out installation. Jo Keogh (one of the artists) also found a group of emerging makers with new work I didn’t know about so the exhibition is really varied. I really enjoy mixed material exhibitions more than single material – I love to see my work alongside ceramics, glass and metals rather than just textile. It gives all the work a new perspective.

Interlace collaboration

Posted in Collaborations, Exhibitions, Interlace by

My collaboration Interlace with Bethany Walker is going from strength to strength!

In 2016 we ran Urban Growth an exciting community project with 8-13 year olds to create a permanent piece of concrete and cloth outdoor work of art in Leicester. This project was funded by the Joyce Carr Doughty Trust.

Over the Spring and Summer we were pleased to be showing at Jennifer Collier’s contemporary craft gallery Unit Twelve in an exhibition of collaborations. I was also showing my work with Jan Garside. 

 

 

We followed this with exhibiting at all three Knitting & Stitching Shows in London, Dublin and Harrogate which was a great success. Our popular Spectrum piece grew from 27 bowls to 45.

 

2016 was rounded off really well with Made in the Middle. Early in the year we were delighted to be selected for this high-quality and well-respected touring exhibition. Our new piece HALO, our largest to date (4m wide) was awarded a prize at the opening night of the show in December.

Made in the Middle continues at The Herbert Museum & Art Gallery until 19th February and then tours throughout 2017 & 18.

Urban Growth Project Launch

Posted in Collaborations, Exhibitions, Interlace by

My collaboration project Interlace was recently commissioned to create a new public artwork with young people in Leicester.

Bethany and I worked with 8-13 year olds in January and February this year to design and make a set of concrete and cloth tiles inspired by the urban environment to be displayed at Makers’ Yard studios in Leicester. We are launching and celebrating the project on Tuesday 7th June and all are welcome to join us.

 

Launch poster

 

 

Daily Make (11 & 12)

Posted in Uncategorized by

Week 11 was a complete whirlwind of final works and installation of Interlace exhibition which is now up and looking fabulous!

 

I was also hurtling through finishing a quilt for a big birthday present at the same time as opening the exhibition. It was more than a little close to the wire getting it done but it was nice to have lots of sewing to do.

 

View this post on Instagram

Trimming down gorgeous quilt blocks.

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

View this post on Instagram

Stripy quilt binding in gorgeous organic cotton. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

View this post on Instagram

Pretty pleased with this mitred corner. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

 

As an aside, I am teaching this type of improv(ised) patchwork later in the year, along with the paper pieced type too. Find out more here.
Since the exhibition opened, things have been somewhat different and the pace of life changed completely with a few sunny, chilly days on a canal boat. There’s a lot of work to do on a boat, and lots of walking and exploring, but there was time for some simple making too. I’m slowly working on a very time-consuming piece for my Narrative Threads exhibition and making hexagon patchwork with antique fabrics, also for the exhibition.

 

View this post on Instagram

Hexagon stack. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

View this post on Instagram

A little stitching at the end of the day #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

 

I’m also working on the easiest bit of knitting ever – yards and yards of icord made from scrap yarn to make into long, loop necklaces.

 

View this post on Instagram

Knitted worms. To be a necklace, eventually. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

 

Interlace

Posted in Art Textiles, Collaborations, Exhibitions, My work by

This weekend sees the launch of an exciting new project which I have been working on for over a year. Bethany Walker and I have created Interlace, a collaboration of cloth and concrete.

Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace :: Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace :: Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace :: Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker

Our showcase exhibition opens on Saturday 21st March upstairs at Bilston Craft Gallery and runs until 19th April. The exhibition includes two large scale wall installations as well as different displays of the concrete & cloth bowls.

 

Daily Make (10)

Posted in Collaborations by

The last few weeks have had a lot of the petal-making for Interlace. We’re now into the final days before the exhibition so mounting and finishing is the order of the day. I’m lucky to have had two work experience students working with me in March, who have been invaluable in the exhibition preparations.

View this post on Instagram

Making mounts. Unglamorous but very necessary. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

The students and I have also started transferring textile memories onto cloth.

In between all this I have made a little progress on my two patchwork projects, and finished knitting a cowl on the last day I was off sick last week.

View this post on Instagram

Tiny bit of patchwork before bed #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

Daily Make (5 & 6)

Posted in Uncategorized by

My excuse for missing an entire week of #dailymake2015 was my birthday last weekend. I made a dress for my birthday party and did a lot of work on petals for Interlace as our exhibition deadline looms ever closer! I’ve also got back into knitting which is a joy.

Some of the last couple of week’s makes:

 

View this post on Instagram

Smocking ready for release!

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Working in blues today. Very unusual for me. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

 

 

 

 

Daily Make (4)

Posted in Uncategorized by

Again, it has been a tough week of deadlines and not as much making as I would like, with an added stinky cold for the last few days. I’m finally having a weekend off, after working 27 days straight through in January, and am spending it planning and preparing for a big birthday party next weekend! I’ve also worked out what’s going on with my phone, so I’ll have decent photos again soon.

This week’s makes

Something I made ages ago, in lieu of actually making….

View this post on Instagram

Mending my leggings. Whilst wearing them. #riskyrepairs

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

Mending

Dramatic smocking on a private commission

View this post on Instagram

Coffee-coloured darn. #TheBeautyofStains #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

Some stitches that didn’t make the cut and came out later.

View this post on Instagram

Stitched stain. #TheBeautyofStains #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

Stitches that stayed

Comfort knitting after a tiring day

Back to my own work, at last

View this post on Instagram

Piles of petals. #dailymake2015

A post shared by Ruth Singer (@ruthsingertextiles) on

Making for Interlace

Slow Stitching

 

Interlace on show in Craft and Conflict at Bilston Craft Gallery

Posted in Collaborations, Exhibitions, History, My work by

Work by Interlace is on show in Craft and Conflict at Bilston Craft Gallery until 22nd November 2014.

 

Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker

Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker

We created work specifically for this show, using white petals instead of our usual colours. By creating fragile textile forms fixed into concrete, we explore making the ephemeral permanent and preserving memories set in stone. The mass of petals in the work represent the fragile mass of humanity lost in conflict, while the softness of textile next to the rigidity of concrete echoes the brutality of war. The petals are hand embroidered in red wool thread. The bowls are presented in a wreath-like shape.

 

Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker
Interlace by Ruth Singer & Bethany Walker

 

The rest of the exhibition is thought-provoking and fascinating. There are some very interesting interpretations of the theme of craft and conflict, some beautiful, haunting works, many referencing recent and current conflicts. Alongside craft pieces there are objects made in Bilston and the Black Country for both world wars as well as personal and commemorative items. It is a considered and thoughtful combination of objects mass produced in times of war, celebrating the skill of the makers and the industry as well as craft pieces created in remembrance, in horror and with hope. I loved it.