Textile Study Group

artists and tutors sharing ideas imagination and skills

Mary Sleigh

Mary Sleigh. Reading the Rings 4, 2022 Detail of 4th panel in a series of 5, reflecting five decades of Mary’s creative practice Fabric, stitch, Japanese paper, print and paint on canvas Photo credit: Roger Sleigh
Mary Sleigh. Reading the Rings 5, (detail) 2022 Fifth panel in a series of panels depicting five decades of Mary’s creative practice Dyed fabric, stitch, ephemera, paint and gesso on canvas Photo credit: Roger Sleigh
Mary Sleigh. Reading the Rings 2, (detail) 2022 Detail of 2nd panel in of a series of 5, reflecting five decades of Mary’s creative practice Mixed media; fabric, stitch, paper, buttons, text, paint and gesso on canvas Photo credit: Roger Sleigh

Mary Sleigh. Narrative in the land – sketch book study 

Mono printing experiments 
36 x 9cm. 
Photo Credit: Roger Sleigh

Mary Sleigh. Cloth Story 1 (detail) Photo Credit: Roger Sleigh

Mary Sleigh. Peat Lands revisited 
Echoes the repetitive industrial process and rhythm of mechanical peat cutting. 
Digital print on silk crepe de Chine. 
DIS/rupt exhibition
. 138 x 185 cm. 
Photo Credit: Roger Sleigh

Mary Sleigh. Flight 316 One of a series celebrating personal journeys. 
Mixed media, feathers, hand stitch. 
24 x 15 cm. Photo Credit: Roger Sleigh
Mary Sleigh. Found and Bound, 2019 Part of a collection of tile and wood fragments from the water’s edge along the Humber estuary Tile and wood fragments, thread Photo credit: Roger Sleigh
Mary Sleigh. Desert, Beach and Bush, (detail) 2016 Detail of a collection of found objects gathered on travels in southern Africa, old maps and mixed media Photo credit: Roger Sleigh
Mary Sleigh. Hard Graft, 2019 Six sacks in a series, each representing a day of women’s work in one month at The Ropewalk Barton on Humber Artist’s paintings digitally printed linen, braided hemp Photo credit: Electric Egg

Artist statement

Curiosity about people, their cultures, practical skills and the marks they leave in the environment are constant sources of inspiration. Every place retains something of human traces and activities and finding those connections with places and people are significant to my work.

I have been an avid collector since childhood, whether in well-known places or unfamiliar territory such as southern Africa and India. These tangible connections to a place or time, some of which have of no intrinsic value spark off ideas and may be included in finished work. My travels have resulted in a collection of traditional textiles and beadwork that continue to offer ideas and fresh ways of working. I feel passionately that our textile heritage as well as that of other cultures should be celebrated and passed on to future generations.

The activity of making by hand and my love of materials are central to my way of working. I enjoy using simple, often basic materials to transform the mundane into something special. The gradual shift over the years from fabric and stitch to mixed media gives me more opportunities to reveal unexpected connections and ways of expressing a sense of place and moments in time, overlaying and connecting significant ideas.

My recent work celebrates the 50th anniversary of the founding of The Textile Study Group. 'Reading the Rings' is a series of five assemblages for the exhibition Making:50, using fabric, stitch, text, ephemera and layers of colour to depict each decade.

I continue to support the Lincoln Diocese, Coventry Cathedral and York Minster as Textile Advisor in the care and conservation of their textiles as well as encourage new work to be commissioned.

Most of all I love the buzz of teaching, sharing and developing ideas with others who want to extend their practice so enjoy opportunities tutor groups.

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