Gordano Textile Artists, from the Bristol area of the UK, is a group of 13 who have been meeting and exhibiting for 22 years.

They first formed after the founder members had completed a four-year course in City and Guilds Creative Embroidery and wanted to remain together to meet and exhibit their work. They were soon joined by others with similar qualifications and latterly have included a weaver.

From an early tentative exhibition on a windy harbourside, their work is now seen everywhere in galleries in the West Country, and next year in a stately home. They attribute their success largely to the approach they have adopted towards both their individual work and the integrity of the group as a whole.

An artistic contribution

The core of Cos Ahmet’s work is centred on the body. Recurring themes of self, identity, sexuality, gender and memory, are emotive features in much of his work, displayed as a complex set of body dialogues.

Since his successful exhibition Thread Is A Thought, supported by Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers Award was shown in the Textile Galleries at Knitting & Stitching Shows 2016, Cos has been selected for a variety of exhibitions including Heallreaf 2, curated by Margaret Jones, an international tapestry exhibition that toured The Edward James Studios at West Dean and The Brick Lane Gallery in London.

His latest, and largest exhibition to date, Points of Juncture is currently showing at Forty Hall Estate, a Jacobean manor house on the edge of north London. Points of Juncture was commissioned by Forty Hall Estate and supported by Arts Council England.

The exhibition displays recent works and specially commissioned pieces that reference Forty Hall’s very existence, ‘a place built upon a textile legacy’ by its former owner, Sir Nicholas Rainton who traded textiles across Europe.

Hand stitching has had somewhat of a renaissance over the last five years, however, it has always been an integral aspect of the work and process of textile artist Amanda J Clayton.

The intimate connections that hand-stitch has with aspects of femininity and traditional gender norms are always prescient, however, whilst Amanda has explored some of these themes, they are not at the forefront of her work.

She is more concerned with challenging the qualities of cloth. Recently, a more defined process of working has emerged and the pieces she has produced have developed a fresh perspective.

Key aspects of Amanda’s work are her explorations, experiments and decisions with cloth and thread that allow the piece to emerge and develop over time. This creates a timeless piece that is intimate and intensely personal.

The 57th International Art Exhibition, titled Viva Arte Viva is now in full flow at Arsenale and Giardini venues, and in several locations in Venice, Italy. With 120 invited artists exhibiting, 103 of these are participating for the first time.

An irresistible event for Textile artist Barbara Lee Smith who took herself off to the City of Canals, and here she shares her thoughts about what she discovered.

Barbara Lee Smith: The oldest, biggest art exhibition in the world is the Venice Biennale. I haven’t any idea why I waited so long to go to this event, and now I have two years to wait for the next one. So, here’s my bottom line: Go this year if you possibly can.

This 57th Biennale runs through to November 26, so you may be able to summon up the time and money for a trip to Venice. Okay, now you can get back to reflecting on some of the artist’s works that moved me. Check out the many websites about the artists, countries and the dozens of exhibitions around the city while you are at it.

Lesley Richmond was born in Cornwall, England and now lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She received her art teachers training in London and her MEd in the USA.

She taught in the textile arts program at Capilano University, Vancouver from 1973 to 2003 while continuing her practice as a studio artist. Lesley now works full time in her studio.

Her work is in collections in the USA, Japan, Poland, Korea and Canada. Recent exhibitions include SOFA Chicago, 2007 to 2017 with Jane Sauer Gallery and Tansey Contemporary Gallery, Santa Fe, USA.

Lesley is inspired by the architectural elegance of trees; tranquil and timeless. She says;