I attended the Arts Council England (ACE) Grants for the Arts Funding Seminar at Salisbury on 13th November. Led by Paul Goddard of the South West Region it gave a fascinating insight into the way applications are processed and assessed.
One of his main points was that there is no hidden agenda, all of the criteria that they work by are available either in the application pack or as information sheets downloadable from the website, these information sheets are well worth looking at if you are considering applying for funding.
It is also worth reading carefully who is not eligible, for instance as a textile student I am not eligible for funding for anything to do with my textiles course including an exhibition of my work. Touring overseas is also a problem as their main priority is to benefit people living in England.
Getting in touch with your local officers was advised as they like to have an idea of who you are and what you do before you apply, this is seen as part of your planning process. Not applying for funding too close to the deadlines or asking for a sum too close to the £5,000 cut off point are also seen as good planning.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Cecilia Heffer
I met Cecilia Heffer by chance at the ICA. She has used traditional lace as a design source, working from the collection at the Powerhouse Museum in Sidney and being mentored by historian and lacemaker Rosemary Shepherd.
She had with her a panel of her contemporary lace that was shown in her solo exhibition Laced in 2006. The circles are cut from silk organza, hand printed with traditional Venetian lace braids. These are then machine stitched together to form the wonderfully translucent panels.
She had with her a panel of her contemporary lace that was shown in her solo exhibition Laced in 2006. The circles are cut from silk organza, hand printed with traditional Venetian lace braids. These are then machine stitched together to form the wonderfully translucent panels.She also showed me a picture of the 
contemporary lace curtains that she designed, for Government House in Sydney, as part of the 'To Furnish a Future Programme'. The lace was actually woven in Scotland on a 100 year old loom linked to a CAD system - a wonderful link between tradition and technology.
contemporary lace curtains that she designed, for Government House in Sydney, as part of the 'To Furnish a Future Programme'. The lace was actually woven in Scotland on a 100 year old loom linked to a CAD system - a wonderful link between tradition and technology.Cecilia is currently participating in a Residency at Central St Martins in London.
Second Life
Textile Futures Research Group now have an island in Second Life. The island is an experiment in staging a collaborative exhibition in a virtual gallery. 
It is possible to walk (or fly) around the island to visit the exhibits and view them from any angle (or height). Alongside each exhibit is an information point (spinning 'i') that takes you to the artists website for further information about the work. The works that I visited included pieces by Rachel Wingfield, (pink column, above left) Polly Kenny, Kay Politowicz and Francis Geesin.The island can be visited at various times of day and it is interesting to see how different some of the exhibits look in different lights.
It is possible to walk (or fly) around the island to visit the exhibits and view them from any angle (or height). Alongside each exhibit is an information point (spinning 'i') that takes you to the artists website for further information about the work. The works that I visited included pieces by Rachel Wingfield, (pink column, above left) Polly Kenny, Kay Politowicz and Francis Geesin.Textile Futures Research Group
Textile Futures Research Group - What Future for Living Textiles? Friday 24th October.
Slow Furl by Mette Ramsgard Thomsen is a wall of textiles that is very slowly moved by hidden armatures. It is 'self touching' in that when certain wires cross they activate responses.
Richard Bonser of Central Biometrics at Reading University spoke on the way that nature uses fewer materials in more intelligent ways than we do. I knew that self cleaning windows and paint existed but Richard explained how they work by imitating the surface of a Lotus leaf which is incredibly rough so that dirt finds it easier to bind with water (rain) than the surface of the leaf.
The Friday session focused on textiles within architecture.
Slow Furl by Mette Ramsgard Thomsen is a wall of textiles that is very slowly moved by hidden armatures. It is 'self touching' in that when certain wires cross they activate responses.
Richard Bonser of Central Biometrics at Reading University spoke on the way that nature uses fewer materials in more intelligent ways than we do. I knew that self cleaning windows and paint existed but Richard explained how they work by imitating the surface of a Lotus leaf which is incredibly rough so that dirt finds it easier to bind with water (rain) than the surface of the leaf.Browsing the V&A
It's a long time since I've been for a general browse around the V&A, as I usually go with an adgenda of things that I want to see.
Swarm by Mona Hatoum is an installation of Swarovski Crystals in the main entrance (I usually use the tunnel entrance). Had I not seen picyures of the installation I would have been surprised to find it composed of dark crystals rather than the usual sparkilng 'diamonds'. The title puts me in mind of Bees and I found myself listening for a humming sound. The picture (left) also picks up on the play of light on the filaments by which the cyrstals are suspended adding another layer to the etherial quality of the work.
Whilst looking for different angles from which to view Swarm I ended up in the metal work gallery and found Lehti (Leaf) by Finnish silver smith Maria Jauhianinen. It is made from photo-etched, powder coated, sheet brass. It was the lacy shadows that really made this piece look so delicate and unlike the metalwork that surrounded it.
Swarm by Mona Hatoum is an installation of Swarovski Crystals in the main entrance (I usually use the tunnel entrance). Had I not seen picyures of the installation I would have been surprised to find it composed of dark crystals rather than the usual sparkilng 'diamonds'. The title puts me in mind of Bees and I found myself listening for a humming sound. The picture (left) also picks up on the play of light on the filaments by which the cyrstals are suspended adding another layer to the etherial quality of the work.
Whilst looking for different angles from which to view Swarm I ended up in the metal work gallery and found Lehti (Leaf) by Finnish silver smith Maria Jauhianinen. It is made from photo-etched, powder coated, sheet brass. It was the lacy shadows that really made this piece look so delicate and unlike the metalwork that surrounded it.The British Galleries may not be the obvious place to look for lace but actually there are some really interesting pieces on show including this length (1650 - 1680) which was probably dyed with cochineal.
C.J. Lim
The installation by CJ Lim and Studio8 Archetects (see July Blog) in the underground entrance to the V&A has been updated and now has red 'roses'.
Textile Futures Research Group
Textile Futures Research Group - What Future for Living Textiles - Thursday 23rd October
Oron Catts of Symbiotica talked, via Skype, about tissue culture and the possibilities of growing leather or steak by seeding polymer scaffolding with the appropriate cells.
Manel Torres of Fabrican introduced us to his spray on fabrics. Not yet on the market, this product can contain cotton, linen, silk or manmade fibres. It's possibilities for use in fashion are fairly obvious but it could also be used in health work as medicines could be carried in it similarly to nicotine patches.
Suzanne Lee of Biocouture is working with growing fabric. Nano fibrils of cellulose grow in a vat of liquid and eventually float to the surface where they form a layer of 'fabric' that can be lifted off and dried either flat or over a form.The fabric can be coloured with fruit or vegetables. The jacket shown above is coloured with oxidised metals.
Oron Catts of Symbiotica talked, via Skype, about tissue culture and the possibilities of growing leather or steak by seeding polymer scaffolding with the appropriate cells.
Manel Torres of Fabrican introduced us to his spray on fabrics. Not yet on the market, this product can contain cotton, linen, silk or manmade fibres. It's possibilities for use in fashion are fairly obvious but it could also be used in health work as medicines could be carried in it similarly to nicotine patches.
Suzanne Lee of Biocouture is working with growing fabric. Nano fibrils of cellulose grow in a vat of liquid and eventually float to the surface where they form a layer of 'fabric' that can be lifted off and dried either flat or over a form.The fabric can be coloured with fruit or vegetables. The jacket shown above is coloured with oxidised metals.
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