Five-Year Reviews

Each Textile Study Group member undergoes a five-year review with an independent mentor, ensuring continuous professional development and artistic growth.

The reviews provide valuable opportunities for members to reflect on their artistic and teaching practices over the previous five years, and to discuss future professional development. All reviewers hold academic credentials and offer extensive experience to this process. This in-depth preparation, personalised discussion, and feedback represent a significant stage of self-development and awareness, with lasting benefits.

Current Reviewer

Our current reviewer is Sally Payne, former tutor in the Embroidery and Weave department at Glasgow School of Art. Teaching and mentoring have always been integral to Sally’s practice. As she explains:

"Teaching is a chance to enable students to reach their full potential—not only through experimentation with materials and methods, but also by encouraging a breadth of thinking. The buzz from a room full of creativity can only inform and enrich my own practice."

Understanding the challenges of working in isolation, Sally believes in the power of exchanging thoughts and pushing personal boundaries. She asks members to challenge their creative practice, ask deeper questions of their work, and take constructive risks:

“I am always so grateful when everyone takes that step into the ‘not quite sure what we are doing.”

Past Reviewers

Constance Howard, Julia Caprara, Matthew Harris, Polly Binns, Jane McKeating, and Michael Brennand-Wood.