Continuing Professional Development

Analogue Zine making with Jo Norman, September 2026

Jo is a printmaker exploring Silk Screen and vintage 1980s Japanese Risograph printing. Driven by the surrounding landscape, natural abstractions, and everyday people-watching, Jo's practice combines bold graphic lines with a vibrant, joyful neon palette. By building up motifs, collage, and rich colour overlays, Jo celebrates the unique imperfections and dynamic layering that make each print distinct.

Meaning “ideal” in Japanese, Risograph printers were invented in Japan in the 1980s. The appeal of Risograph prints lies in the beautiful imperfections that occur during printing. Achieving similar aesthetics to silk screen printing, the machine uses master stencils and vibrant ink cartridges to layer colors as the paper is fed through multiple times.

“My current work explores the qualities of Screen Printing and Risograph. My practice is continually evolving, and the use of collage and layering is something I am inspired to explore.”

The Workshop

Dr. Claire Wellesley-Smith, Textile Artist: Connected Threads, March 2026

www.clairewellesleysmith.co.uk

Claire Wellesley-Smith is a textile artist, writer and researcher. Her long-term community engagement projects explore textile heritage, wellbeing and slow craft techniques. She teaches and exhibits internationally and advises on heritage, museum and craft research projects. She lives in West Yorkshire.

“I like and I am influenced by the layering analogies within the repair dialogues, of adding value through stitch, of fully embedding the stitch within the material’s own narrative.”

The Workshop

With an emphasis on "thinking-through-making," we spent the weekend exploring a range of hand stitches. We were all incredibly inspired by Claire’s daily reflective stitching practice, where time is physically recorded in lengths of stitched linen, gloriously embellished with personal symbols. The workshop gave us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our own practice and how textiles transform and connect over time.

"I left feeling so excited to start my own daily stitched practice. While I have found it challenging to maintain consistently, it has given me an even deeper appreciation for Claire, who beautifully maintains her own daily practice despite an incredibly busy life." — Vivienne Beaumont

Alex McIntyre, Painter: The Language of Paint, September 2025

www.alex-mcintyre.co.uk

Alex McIntyre works from her studio in Hertfordshire. Her paintings typically use the metaphor of sky and land as a device for introspection, where layers of colour are used to convey mood or drama. The visual texture and physicality of her paintings provokes an embodied or visceral response. Alex creates art for exhibitions and commissions. She is also a practicing transformational coach.

“Reflect on what excites and delights you — through this you may discover more about your own practice and the work you want to make.”

The Workshop

Alex introduced a wide range of products and processes to use with acrylic paints and a wealth of ideas. Challenged to take risks and work beyond our usual comfort zone, we brushed paint onto paint, rubbed areas away revealing colour, textured the surface with gesso to conceal colour, painted over the gesso, sanded or scratched into it, dribbled or dragged or rubbed on more paint, then found another way of taking the paint off. As we worked, we were able to appreciate the material qualities of paint and the complex layering which Alex uses to create her glowing paintings.

"Our creativity was nourished as we discovered and shared new directions for our own work." — Dorothy Tucker

Hannah Lamb, Textile Artist, March 2025

www.hannahlamb.co.uk

Hannah Lamb is a textile artist, lecturer, and author based in West Yorkshire, UK. She is the author of “Poetic Cloth: Creating Meaning in Textile Art” and an exhibiting member of the 62 Group of Textile Artists. Hannah Lamb employs various textile processes, including stitch, print, and fabric manipulation, to create artworks ranging from intimate pieces to larger installations. She is particularly known for her use of cyanotype printing, an early photographic technique that produces detailed blueprints on textiles.

 “Through touch, making and material. My artwork becomes something about place and my place in the world, a kind of gentle presence.”

The Workshop

Hannah led an insightful Cyanotype workshop for the Textile Study Group. She began with a presentation showcasing her beautiful cyanotype textiles and sharing some of the fascinating history of early photography. Hannah then guided us through preparing and mixing the light-sensitive chemicals. She demonstrated creative transfer methods using masks, stencils, Posca pens, black acrylic paint, and negatives, and we were encouraged to explore these techniques to create unique cyanotypes on fabrics and papers.

"One of the great things about being at one of our workshop weekends is watching what other people do, the experiments or prior knowledge that widen the perception of cyanotype as being purely about laying down plants under the sun.” — Sheila Mortlock

Amanda Clayton, Textile Artist, September 2024

www.amandajclayton.co.uk

Amanda Clayton's textile works are timeless, intimate, and deeply personal. She is a past member of the Textile Study Group (TSG) and the 62 Group of Textile Artists, now working independently as a teacher and artist. Hand-stitching is an integral part of her process, allowing creations to emerge through a sensitive interplay of cloth and stitch.

"I am still learning, challenging and I am never satisfied. This drives me forward to my next piece. Creativity is my life.”

The Workshop

Our workshop with Amanda focused on natural forms and her signature neutral fabrics. We progressed from observational responses to abstraction, with Amanda setting brief, challenging tasks to help us develop our ideas with various white and neutral materials.

“We were encouraged, as we worked with delicate materials, to record our ideas in photographs and notes and to consider the relevance to our personal experience and skills.” — Jean Draper

Eleanor White: Light Work, March 2024

www.bridgehouseart.co.uk
www.eleanorkwhite.com

Christine Morrison technical support.

Eleanor White is an artist and tutor based in Ullapool, where she runs Bridge House Art, an independent art school. Her work seamlessly integrates drawing, painting, and mixed media, creating a dialogue between these disciplines in her acrylic paintings and artist books.

"Art is a language and like any language, it has a fundamental structure which can be learned, to gain a greater fluency. Art provides a means of understanding the world in which we live and enriches our life as we gain a fresh awareness of ourselves in relation to it.”

The Workshop

Eleanor's workshop challenged us to shift our established ways of thinking about gathering images for inspiration. Using buildings as a starting point, we created observational drawings which in turn inspired three-dimensional, abstract paper structures. We explored these sculptural elements with theatrical torch light, capturing dramatic shadows and distorted forms with our mobile phone cameras. These photographs then served as inspiration for imaginative artworks, moving towards textiles.

“Eleanor's well-organised online course successfully fostered a connected learning environment. The approaches Eleanor introduced were widely enjoyed, and Eleanor's warmth made questions easy.” — Vivienne Beaumont

Julia Griffiths Jones, Artist, September 2023

www.juliagriffithjones.co.uk

Julia Griffiths Jones is an artist who transforms textile techniques (stitching, embroidery, quilting) into wire and metal, preserving their decorative meaning. Her visual language is rooted in Slovak folk art and embroidery, and drawing has always been key to her process, from large-scale aerial line drawings to later work with enamel and screen printing.

"I am inspired and influenced by textiles created by women alongside their domestic duties — as much for need as for warmth.”

The Workshop

Julia began the workshop with a presentation of her artistic journey. Using her collection of Eastern European embroideries for inspiration, she guided us as we drew from their decorative elements. We then translated our drawings into wire, applying the techniques Julia demonstrated through her many samples and images.

“This workshop experience has stayed with me. Reflecting on it afterwards has allowed me to fully digest its potential and let my ideas integrate and take root.” — Vivienne Beaumont

Sue Brown, Artist: Marks on Textiles, September 2022 & March 2023

www.theyardartspace.com

Sue Brown is a dedicated artist based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where she runs The Yard, her printmaking studio. She utilises printmaking, particularly collagraph, and mixed media in her practice to express narratives, often inspired by the natural world. The Textile Study Group has benefited from two weekend workshops with Sue: the first explored collagraph plate making and printing on textiles, while the second concentrated on paper and fabric lithography. She's also written a helpful book detailing these techniques.

"I am an artist using printmaking and mixed media to tell stories."

The Workshop: Collagraph Printing

During our first weekend workshop, Sue Brown introduced us to collagraph plate making and inking techniques. We discovered that these plates can be created in a variety of ways using easily obtained materials and can be printed on a wide range of surfaces. The success of the final image, we learned, lies in the inking process itself. Over the course of the workshop, we explored a couple of different plate-making methods and experimented with printing on a selection of textiles.

“The workshop reignited my interest in collagraphs and printmaking – it felt exciting again!”

The Workshop: Paper Lithography on Fabric

Sue introduced us to her techniques using Photocopies and gum arabic for Paper Lithography on Fabric. Using basic photocopies as printmaking plates, participants explored paper lithography on fabric throughout the day. Sue, a generous teacher and great communicator, helped us quickly grasp this flexible process.

“We printed on a variety of textile and paper surfaces, allowing us to create an inspiring collection of samples for future individual fabric projects.” — Kay Greenlees

Sumi Perera: Paper and Textile Manipulation, March 2022

www.sumi-perera.com

Sumi Perera is an interdisciplinary artist. She draws upon her background as a doctor, scientist, and artist, working in Sri Lanka, her native country, and the United Kingdom, her adopted country. She combines traditional printmaking methods with contemporary techniques, such as laser cutting/engraving and sandblasting, often incorporating stitch into mixed-media assemblages. Among her many achievements, Sumi Perera has undertaken residencies, won international awards, and exhibited in major galleries worldwide. The Textile Study Group weekend focused on paper and textile manipulation.

“In some instances, the process has become even more important than the finished product! I often leave works intentionally ‘unfinished’ and even allow the configuration of the presented work at public exhibitions to change over the course of its exposition.”

The Workshop

Our weekend was spent investigating paper and textile manipulation and exploring various artist book structures. We were encouraged to develop our own pathways, playing and making using materials that we had a personal connection to. The fascinating art of paper folding became quite addictive. With so many possibilities shared over the weekend, there will plenty of ideas to keep us going.

“I have worked in sketchbooks for many years, but this workshop explored the possibility of using the book format to create finished artwork. Sumi’s enthusiastic and energetic teaching style also had a positive impact on the way I deliver and teach my own workshops.” — Shelley Rhodes

Sue Lawty, Artist, Designer Tactile Sensibilities: In Celebration of Touch, September 2021

Technical support: Christine Morrison

www.vam.ac.uk/blog/author/s-lawty

Sue Lawty is an experienced artist, designer, and teacher whose work is in collections worldwide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, where she completed a year-long residency. Her prestigious Artist Research Fellowships include the Smithsonian Museums, USA, and the University of Leeds.

“Whatever you decide to do, do it with conviction.”

The Workshop

Sue opened the workshop with an inspirational presentation. She showcased images focusing on the structures and material qualities found in rock formations, expansive landscapes, written text, and textiles. She illustrated her process of constructing textiles from thread and lead, and creating large assemblages from thousands of minute stones. We were asked to bring two significant collections of identical found materials. Sue then guided us through strategies for reconstructing new materials from these multiple units, exploring the single unique mark within the context of repetition.

“I found Sue’s work awesome in scale and challenging in its reach to different audiences.  This online workshop was enhanced by beautiful photographs of her sources or to document the ambitious projects she has undertaken.”  — Dorothy Tucker

Eleanor K. White, Artist, Tutor, March 2021

www.bridgehouseart.co.uk
www.eleanorkwhite.com

In 1994, after teaching at Leith School of Art for six years, Eleanor K. White moved to Ullapool to establish the independent art school, Bridge House Art, where she is the course director and principal tutor. She is highly regarded as an inspiring and motivating educator. Her practice is mixed media drawing and painting.

"Art provides a means of understanding the world in which we live and enriches our life as we gain a fresh awareness of ourselves in relation to it.”

The Workshop

The workshop encouraged both intense focus and creative freedom. We began by describing an object in a unique way, working ourselves into a frenzy by covering the paper with words using different pencils before rubbing out areas with rags. The second part of the workshop was about surrendering to the process. We were encouraged to be experimental yet faithful to our chosen object, using a variety of materials to superimpose a dominant image over a randomly painted and textured background.

“This online masterclass provided us with a wealth of challenging exercises which resulted in some stunning work.”  — Dorothy Tucker

Cilla Eisner – Towards the Theory of Practice. Thinking it Through: Conversations, September 2020

www.cillaeisner.uk

Cilla Eisner, an artist and maker, possesses extensive experience in teaching across secondary, further, and higher education. She considers artwork a visible thinking process, believing creativity connects ideas and materials. Following the tradition of artist/teachers, Cilla views maintaining a studio practice alongside teaching as part of the same project. Often titled 'intelligent making,' 'material thinking,' or 'thinking through art,' her work explores the interplay of making with thinking, and of ideas with material, in the generation of new understanding and meaning.

“Artwork constructs mental space. It constructs the person as much as the person constructs the artwork.”

The Workshop

This workshop explored how participants' art and textile processes give rise to thinking. Cilla prompted discussions on what insights could be drawn from these conversations to articulate and extend our understanding of the way we think as artists. The development of individual members’ work for the Insights publication formed the primary basis of these discussions.

“Once again, we were provoked into discussion and challenged with ideas from a different discipline, which I always find energising.”  — Mary Sleigh

Matthew Harris, Textile Artist, TEXT–ile Works on Paper and Cloth, March 2020

www.matthewharriscloth.co.uk

Matthew Harris graduated from Goldsmiths College, where he studied textiles with Audrey Walker. He has exhibited in group and solo shows throughout the UK, Ireland, the USA, Germany, and Japan. He lives and works from his studio in Stroud. Matthew Harris works on paper and fabric, focusing on abstract imagery and the translation of drawn marks onto cloth. His work explores repetition, pattern, and the disrupted journey of line and image across the surface of cloth.

“I have a longing to explore, collect, source, sample, as I continue to be inspired by life, skill, art and talent. I pursue my own style, and build on what experience I have gathered and gained from past design, technique and knowledge.”

The Workshop

During the Matthew Harris workshop, participants were asked to bring in handwriting samples from original letters, postcards, or any source with interesting letterforms. The project began with paper, but quickly evolved in multiple directions, with explorations into transparency, layering, and even three-dimensional work. The workshop was designed to be highly personal, allowing each member to develop their own unique ideas.

“Matthew listened carefully to everyone and suggested different paths forward, which allowed us to develop our ideas in a personal direction. I found this to be a very useful and super workshop. Matthew’s style of teaching suited me very well.”  — Sheila Mortlock

Michael Brennand-Wood, Visual Artist, Teacher, and Curator, September 2019

www.brennand-wood.com

Internationally regarded as an innovative and inspiring artist, Michael Brennand-Wood’s work reflects his belief that contemporary textiles derive from an understanding of textile technique and history. He explores new techniques, integrating textiles with non-traditional materials. His work is in collections worldwide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, and he has received numerous awards. He has curated many exhibitions and was a senior lecturer at Goldsmiths College.

“I believe the most innovative work emanates from a synthesis of historical and contemporary sources. My works recognise no hierarchy in approach or discipline; my visual language is a synthesis of craft, painterly, design and sculptural traditions.”

The Workshop

Michael Brennand-Wood began by showing us examples of his own work that he had to radically change in the creative process. The weekend was particularly memorable for the valuable time the group spent gathered around a huge table, simply talking with him. Michael ensured, quietly and firmly, that each of us had the time and trust we needed to talk about our work. We all contributed to the conversation and listened attentively to his advice.

“I came away with permission to destroy my pieces which hadn’t worked and to begin to recycle the remnants.”  — Dorothy Tucker

Debbie Lyddon, Artist and Maker Using Mixed Media, Sculpture, Installations, and Drawings: Sound Compositions, March 2019

www.debbielyddon.co.uk

Debbie Lyddon is a textile artist and a member of the 62 Group of Textile Artists. Based in Norfolk, UK, her work explores landscape and place through mixed media, sculpture, installations, and drawings. Her early career as a musician influenced her interest in sonic elements. The workshop developed drawings and fabric through mark-making exercises, combining audible and visual stimuli.

“My practice aims to evoke a multi-sensory interpretation of my surroundings to promote an awareness of the relationship between the visual, aural and tactile landscape. My work is informed by: Things I have noticed and things I have remembered. The light, water, the weather. The processes and rhythms of natural phenomena. Remoteness. Impermanence, change and degeneration. Sound, stillness and silence.”

The Workshop

During a 'sound walk', Debbie Lyddon gave the group a unique way of seeing and experiencing their surroundings. We developed our observations of both audible notes and visual stimuli into drawings and then into fabric through a series of mark-making exercises.

“To create our own 'sound compositions,' Debbie Lyddon took us outside to listen and record the sounds we heard. I was surprised to find that I was way outside my comfort zone. Just how was I going to convey the sound of passing cars or a blackbird’s sudden alarm call? Debbie’s own work and the exercises she set inspired us all.”  — Dorothy Tucker

David Tress, Building Images: Observation and Expression, September 2018

www.davidtress.co.uk

David Tress is a British artist renowned for his landscape interpretations. His painting is a vigorous, physical process, designed to relive and evoke the raw, intense experience of being in a landscape. His artworks, often ripped, scored, and spattered, possess a tangible quality, yet also incorporate areas of fine detail.

"Working on paper as I do now is a wonderfully flexible medium. You can expand paintings as you go – if you want to make the painting bigger you just add more paper. It’s immensely malleable.”

The Workshop

During the workshop, David Tress's demonstrations highlighted the contrast between emotional response and logical construction, showing how these elements converge in his work. He had us painting immediately with acrylics, focusing on an intuitive "gut response" to the landscape. The weekend mirrored the essentials of his own practice, balancing emotional artistic responses with the foundational structures of painting: space, light, and composition.

“David challenged us to build lively surfaces, to be prepared to disrupt the process, to leave things open and not to close a painting down. He gave us two demonstrations a day, enriching them with poems and quotations, including this memorable one from Winnie the Pooh: 'The wonderful thing about painting is the painting.' ”  — Dorothy Tucker

Georges Wenger, Scrawl – Calligraphy, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, March 2017

www.georgeswenger.ch

Georges Wenger is an artist, printer, and teacher based in Switzerland, with a history of international exhibitions. His contemporary work employs a mix of media, showcasing a raw and expressive style.

“Time, unhurriedness, a gradual unfolding, precision, stillness, and concentration on something approximating to the intuited substance of being. An insight can emerge. And then — possibly — also beauty.”

The Workshop

The workshop, led by Georges, used text as a starting point for a weekend of artistic exploration. We combined asemic writing, typography, calligraphy, and drawing, working intuitively and without a rigid plan. Embracing the rhythm of writing, we created marks, scrawls, splatters, and drips with a variety of tools, including brushes, twigs, and feathers. We also used wax crayons as a resist, juxtaposing formal text with freer, more expressive scrawls. This was a wonderfully freeing workshop that provided plenty of scope for personal interpretation.

“The title of this workshop was ‘Scrawl’, which was described as ‘ Raw, Splotchy, Untidy! ’, so it had me hooked just from this description. I had previously used text and calligraphic marks on my work, but this workshop validated the use of text and made me consider changes in scale, chopping and rearranging the text, as well as the contrast between the formal and informal marks.”  — Shelley Rhodes

Melanie Miller, PhD, Maker, Teacher, Curator, Writer, Editor of Textiles and Embroidery, September 2017

www.melaniemillertextiles.co.uk

Melanie Miller is an experienced tutor with degrees in History and Textiles/Fashion. She works with educational charities on residency projects.

The Workshop

For the Textile Study Group, Melanie presented a lecture around the theme of disruption, followed by discussion. This was in preparation for our exhibition DIS/rupt. She then ran small group tutorials with all the TSG members, discussing their work in progress for the DIS/rupt project. This proved to be a most informative workshop, which drew on Melanie’s immense skills as a mentor and curator.

“This workshop was especially helpful because it helped me take risks with my work and push my ideas as far as possible. I usually find that group sessions stimulate ideas that I might not have come up with on my own, the brainstorming process can be particularly energising.”  — Sarah Burgess