Christine Sawyer
Unless working to a specific commission brief, I make drawings and tapestries in response to a particular environment, event or occurrence, Images are generally a mix of observation, memory and imagination. The aim is to construct an interpretative piece, arrived at by initiating an intuitive dialogue between idea and process. Currently I am exploring ideas relating to manipulation of the environment, and the effect of the media on our lives. Because the source material is so diverse in content, the work takes on a variety of forms, relief, 3D, mixed media, and therefore the results often look very different from each other. The first reaction, or encounter, governs the process and finished product.
INFLUENCES; aesthetic and formal process, contemporary ideas and concerns. effects of social media. environmental issues.
CAREER PATH; Bath Academy of Art, Painting and Ceramic with Mosaic, 1960-63 Certificate in Education, Bristol University, Taught art and design in secondary schools Lecturer in textiles, Rolle College of Education, Exmouth, 1968 to 1975 Self-taught in Tapestry Accepted onto Crafts Council Index 1987 World Tapestry Today - Tour 1989-90 International Textile Competition, Japan, 1990 British Tapestry Triennial in 1995 Contemporary British Tapestry, 1996 Tapestry on the Net, 2000 South West Arts Award Winners Showcase, 2002 South West Arts Awards in 1996 and 2000 Seven major commissions, including two panels for the House of Lords in 2001 Theo Moorman Trust Award 2010, 2014 and 2018.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 Sound and Silence, The Glorious Art House Gallery, Exeter 2011 - Into the Light, The Innovations Centre, Exeter University, Devon 2009 - recent works, Level Two Gallery, Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare Trust 2005 - Plants and Healing, The Peninsular Medical School, Exeter, Devon 2000 - Showcase, Royal Albert Museum, Exeter 1999 - Open House, Exeter Festival 1995 - Dillington House Somerset 1994 - Honiton Festival 1993 - Coombe Street Gallery, Exeter 1991 - Exeter and Devon Arts Centre 1991 - Rolle Gallery, University of Plymouth 1986 - Exeter University Gallery, Exeter, Woven Tapestries
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 WEAVING THE FUTURE, International Tapestry Exhibition, The William Morris Gallery, London. SOUND AND WEAVE British Tapetry Group show, touring three venues the UK until March 2019. INDENTITY, 6th Riga International Textile Art Trienal, Latvia.
2017 KARPIT 3, Gallery Vigado, Budapest, Hungary. KATE DERUM AWARD SHORTLIST,Australian Tapestry Alliance, Melbourne. HEALLREAF 2, West Dean Gallery, Sussex, and Brick Lane Gallery, London. ETHNO, 10th International Biennal of Textile Miniatures, Vilnius. SCYTHIA TEXTILE ART, Kherson, Ukraine
2016 ELEMENTS, exhibition of small tapestries touring Australia, UK snd USA. UNTITLED, small tapestry show in Milwaukee, USA. TEXTILE ART OF TODAY, International Textile Triennal, touring Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. LACDA, digital drawing exhibition, Los Angeles, USA
2015 HEALLREAF, exhibition of small tapestries at West Dean College, Sussex. shortlist for KATE DERUM AWARD, Australian Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne, Australia. OUT OF THE BOX, Biennial of miniature tapestries, ARKA gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania. DIVERSITY AND UNITY, 5th International Triennal of Textiles, Riga, Latvia. EXE-TRA, four artists at Exeter Contemporary Arts Hub. STRUCTURE AND SURFACE, four artists at the Yard Gallery, Exeter.
2014 5th TRIENNALE OF TAPESTRY, Novi Sad, Serbia. UNTITLED, Amaerican Tapestry Alliance show, Rhode Island, USA. THE WOVEN IMAGE, Alexandra Palace, London, and Harrogate, with BTG. JOINING FORCES, Joint show with David Sawyer. CHINESE WHISPERS, Karin Jannsen project Space, London, and Dirty Alice Gallery, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
2013 'Thoughts, That Is....' ARKA Biennale of Miniature Textiles, Vilnius, Lithuania. Shortlist for Open Drawing at The Plough Arts, Torrington. Shortlist for The Kate Derum Award for Tapestry, Australian Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne. 'A Sensitive Art' St Anthony's Gallery, York. 'Tapestry Mischief', Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries, Scotland
2012. 'From Lausanne To Bejing;' 7th International Fibre Art Biennale, Nantong, China. 2Draw Redearth Gallery, Bickliegh, Devon. Art Haven @ Redearth 2.
2011 - 2nd Triennale TexpoART, Cupola Gallery, Iasi, Romania 2011 - 5th International Mini Textile Exhibition, Kherson, Ukraine. - Art Haven @ Redearth, Redearth Gallery, , Bickleigh, Devon - Before the Crash: Art and Science Collide, Exeter Castle Gallery,, Exeter, Devon 2011 - Kate Derum Award Exhibition, Australia Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne, Australia - Warp / Weft / Near / Far, Stirling Castle Gallery, Stirling Castle, Scotland 2011 - Woven Threads, Orleans House, , Twickenham, London
2010 - On Loan, Installation at Egenis, Exeter University, Devon. Level Two Gallery, Exeter,
2009 - Flight 2, Wheal Martin Gallery, Cornwall - Same River, Different Water, Unit 4 Gallery, The Quay, Exeter, Devon - Weaving Within, Stirling Castle Gallery, Stirling Castle, Scotland
2008 - Black Swan Open, Black Swan Arts, Frome, Somerset - Healing, Norton Priory, Cheshire 2008 - LAND, Australian National University Galley, Canberra, Australia 2008 - Tapestry '08, Dean Clough & Bankfield Museum, Halifax, Yorks
2007 - Flight, Slimbridge WildlifeTrust, Gloucestershire 2007 - Response to Eden 2, South Hill Park Arts, Bracknell, Berks
2006 - Colour Full, Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury, Wilts 2006 - Tapestry Today, Machpelah mill, Hebden Bridge, Yorks 2006 - Threads, Cotehele House, National Trust, Cornwall
2005 - Bound / Unbound, Dartington Gallery, Dartington College of Arts, Devon
2004 - Response to Eden, Phoenix Arts and Media, Exeter, Devon 2004 - Response to Eden, The Eden Project, Boledlva, Cornwall
2003 - Being Here, Phoenix Arts and Media, Exeter, Devon 2003 - Threads of Life, Plymouth College of Art Gallery, Plymouth, Devon
2002 - A Thing of Beauty, South West Arts Award Winners Showcase, The Internet 2002 - Dreamweavers, Orleans House, , Twickenham, London
2001 - Industrial Relations, Coldharbour Mill, Devon 2001 - Material Evidence, Montacute House, Somerset 2001 - Open House, Worthing At Gallery, Worthing, Sussex 2001 - Two textile artists, Reed Hall Gallery, University of Exeter
2000 - Tapestry on the net, International Tapestry Alliance 1999 - Earthy, Brewerey Arts, Cirencester 1999 - Explorations, South West Textile Group, National Tour 1997 - The Big Time National Tour 1996 - Contemporary British Tapestry, The Barbican, Concourse Gallery, London and Touring UK 1995 - British Tapestry Triennial, Harley Gallery, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire 1994 - Linking Threads, Bluecoat Display Centre 1994 - Small Wonders, Miniature Touring Exhibition 1994 - Textiles, Millfield School, Somerset 1993 - Woman Made, Cooper Gallery Bristol 1991 - SW Textiles Group, St Albans Museum 1990 - Gobelin Girls, National Theatre, London 1990 - International Textile, Kyoto, Japan 1989 - 2nd New Zealand Crafts Biennale 1989 - World Tapestry, Today International Tour
COMMISSIONS
2001 - Coast, The House of Lords, Millbank, London 2001 - Thicket, The House of Lords, Millbank, London 1999 - The Florence Floods, The Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Spa University, Newton Park, Bath, 1995 - Cover to Cover, Burnley City Library, Burnley, Lancs. 1994 - Noah's Ark, Plymouth Child Care Health Authority, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, Devon 1992 - Holiday, Coca Cola Schweppes plc, Head office, Uxbridge, London 1990 - The Royal Mint, Imry Merchant Developers, St James Square, London
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS WORLDWIDE SINCE 1986.
COMPETITIONS, PRIZES AND AWARDS
2014 and 2018, Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers Award
2015 Diploma for Eloquence of originality, OUT OF THE BOX exhibition, Arka Gallery, Vilnius.
2010 - Theo Moorman Trust Award for Weavers, Theo Moorman Trust, National 2001 - South West Arts Project Award, Arts Council South West, Exeter 1996 - South West Arts Project Award, South West Arts, Exeter
PUBLICATIONS;
2012 - Work selected for ' Textiles: the Art of Mankind 'by Mary Schoeser, Thames & Hudson