alison hird
profile
Light and colour played a part in my life from an early age. The exploration of many crafts eventually led me to the Embroiderers’ Guild, and finally to City and Guilds evening classes where I gained many ideas that I am still working on today.
My main specialities are methods of rolling or folding paper or fabric and then cutting and stitching it to form a 3-dimensional piece, often without a background cloth. I also use the computer to turn photographs into kaleidoscope images which I then print out and turn into 3-D shapes with stitchery. I am also very interested in joining components together with different kinds of stitches.
qualifications
1987/92....... City & Guilds - Creative Embroidery Parts 1 & 2 - London College of Fashion
membership
Embroiderers' Guild (Bromley Branch)
Phoenix Contemporary Textile Group (PCTG)
‘4 x 4’ Group
New Embroidery Group (NEG)
Textile Studio
Losing the Thread
exhibitions
2010........... Textile Studio – Hall Place, Bexley, Kent
2010........... Alton Estate Project, PCTG – Bank Gallery, Chobham, Surrey
2010........... Losing the Thread – Stroud Textile Festival, Glocestershire
2010........... Textile Studio 40th Anniversary – Ripley, Bromley / Chequer Mead, East Grinstead
2009........... ‘Concrete, Steel, Cloth’, PCTG – Robert Phillips Gallery, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
2006/7/8...... Textile Studio – Blackheath / Bromley Library / Chequer Mead, East Grinstead, Surrey
2005/8........ ‘4 x 4’ - Menier Gallery, London
2000/1/2/8... Losing the Thread – Fareham, Hants / Scaplens Court Museum, Poole, Dorset / Bromley Central Library / Bridport, Dorset
2007........... ‘Women by Women’, PCTG – Robert Phillips Gallery, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
1999/06....... NEG – Museum of Garden History, London / Waterloo Gallery, London
2005........... ‘Surfaces through Technology’, Textile Studio – Knitting & Stitching Show, London
2003........... ‘Fragments’, PCTG – Kingston Museum Art Gallery, Surrey
2002........... ‘4 x 4’ (touring) – Mall Galleries, London / Knitting & Stitching Show, London & Harrogate / Madeira Show, Harrogate
2001/2........ Textile Studio – Hall Place, Bexley / Bromley Central Library / Knitting & Stitching Show, London / Fairfield Halls, Croydon / Chequer Mead Gallery, East Grinstead
1991/3/5/7/9/01 ‘Embroidery for Gardeners’ – Ramster, nr Guildford, Surrey
2000........... ‘Structures & Constructions’, PCTG – Kingston Museum Art Gallery, Surrey
2000........... ‘Textiles Inspired by Books’, Textile Studio – Foyles Art Gallery, London / Ripley Art Centre, Bromley, Kent
1999........... ‘Gardens & Flowers in Embroidery’ – Tokyo, Japan
1998/9........ Losing the Thread – Walford Mill, Salisbury, Cirencester
1998/9........ Knitting & Stitching Show – Alexandra Palace, London
1998/9........ Textile Studio – Sevenoaks / Meopham / Longleat
1995/8........ ‘Elements’ & ‘Journeys’, PCTG – Kingston Museum Art Gallery, Surrey / Muni Arts Centre, Wales
1996........... Solo Exhibitions – Bromley Library / Camomile Street Library, London
1993........... ‘Fusions’ – Long Gallery - Chelsea Old Town Hall
1992........... London College of Fashion – Butler’s Wharf, London
1992........... Madeira – Craft , Embroidery & Fashion - Harrogate
1990........... The Embroiderers’ Guild AGM – Glasgow
1987/90....... The Embroiderers’ Garden & Feast - Doddington Hall, Lincoln
1988........... Embroidery ’88 – Commonwealth Institute, London
1987........... Display of work – Lindley Library, Horticultural Halls, Westminster, London.
published work
‘The Embroiderers’ Garden’, by Thomasina Beck (1987)
Magazines: Classic Stitches, Workbox (2009)
contact
Email: alisonhird@tiscali.co.uk
Tel: 01689 821824