Jilli Blackwood
A textile is expected to behave in a certain way, to be laid across a bed, to clothe and protect us from the elements or to flutter in the sky proclaiming a nation's existence. My fabrics are there to be looked at in contrasts to their surroundings and to challenge the viewer to re-think their perceptions of the function of fabric. The very nature of my work in which a wide variety of fibres are mixed together, incorporating reclaimed fabric with new are sewn and cut defies the precision of modern design not detracting from it but complementing it. Influences Culture, Landscape, Emotions, own gender (Female) Career path 1986 to the present, Self employed Artist working in Textiles 1986 Glasgow School of Art, 1st Class BA Hons, Art & Design
Education
1982-86 Glasgow School of Art
1986 Graduated, 1st Class B.A. Honours Art & Design
Permanent Collections
Corporate
2008 Biocon Bangalore, India
2008 The Celtic Opus Book, Kraken Publishing Ltd UK
2006 Standard Life Aberdeen PLC UK
2003 The Peak Group, Aberdeen UK
1999 British Telecom Headquarters, Edinburgh UK
Public
2019 Firmdale Hotels, London, Kit Kemp
2016 Fairmount Hotel, St Andrews, UK
2007 The West of Scotland Cancer Care Centre, Glasgow UK
2005 United States Consulate, Edinburgh UK
2005 South & East Belfast Healthcare Centre UK
2002 St Andrew’s House, Scottish Government, Edinburgh UK
2002 The Homeopathic Hospital, Glasgow UK
Museums
2014 Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow UK
2011 Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow UK
2010 ‘Tilda’ Art to Wear Kilt, National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh
2006 Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow, Mackintosh Gallery UK
2005 The National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh UK
2004 Victoria & Albert Museum, London UK
1992 Embroiderers Guild, Hampton Court Palace UK
1990 Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow UK
1989 Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen UK
Design Projects
2016 22 digitally printed silk panels for the US, ‘The Fabric of My Life No.2’
2015 Heathrow Airport Tartan Design for promotional celebration of Scotland
2014 Designer of the Parade Uniforms for The Scottish Team at The Opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games
2014 Tartan Design Installation for the Interior Space for The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) for The Athletes’ Village, 2014 Commonwealth Games
2010 Glasgow Schools Writing Project for the Handover Ceremony, Delhi
2009-10 Director of Costume, The Flag Handover Ceremony, Commonwealth Games, Delhi India
2009 Commissioned by John Michie, The Michie Tartan and Sporran, STV Documentary ‘Made in Scotland’
2008 Commissioned by the Publishers Kraken Opus, Celtic Opus Book
2007 Biocon, Bangalore, India, range of corporate gifts inspired by the
Synergy wall hanging
2007 Iconic silhouette ‘Art to Wear’ outfit for ‘Valt’, Scottish drinks company
Private Collections- Embroidered Hangings
Jilll’s embroidered wall hangings are held in numerous private collections world wide from; the USA, UK, Spain, Japan and Australia.
Interior Projects
2020 Embroidery Installation private client UK
2019 Embroidery Installation private client UK
2001 Private Commission Dining Room Interior
1998 Linda Reid Interiors Soft Furnishing
1988-94 Designers Guild Soft Furnishing
Art to Wear Projects
2020 “Millennium Kilt No. 9” private client USA
2019 ‘Art to Wear’ waistcoat private client UK
2017 ‘Art to Wear’ private client, UK
2016 “Art to Wear’ private client, UK
2015 Silk and wool double cloth hand dyed wraps
2015 ‘Art to Wear’ embroidered leather and tartan bustle, private client
2014 ‘Art to Wear’ wedding dress, private client
Jilli Blackwood has worked on projects with a number of high profile clients throughout the years; John Michie actor, Blyth Duff actor, Mrs Robert Carlyle, Mark McGhee Aberdeen Football clubManager, Angelica Berrie of Russ Toys US, Jennifer Grant daughter of the actor Cary Grant, Anna Ryder Richardson and many other private clients.
Exhibitions
2020 12 Hay Hill Mayfair London UK
2019 “Art and Craft”, HIGH Walton St London UK
2019 ‘Collect’, Saatchi Gallery London exhibiting with CAA
2019 European Craft Exhibition, Kuwait National Museum, Kuwait
2018 Contemporary Applied Art London ‘Colour Theory’
2017-20 CAA London, ‘Present and Collect’
2017 Contemporary Applied Arts London, New Admissions
2017 Scottish Textiles, Scotland House, London
2015-17 ‘Naked Craft’ touring exhibition, Canada and Scotland
2012 The Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts and Sciences
2011 ‘The Force of Memory’, The Compass Gallery, Glasgow, Touring
2011 The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, USA, November
2011 The Knitting & Stitching Show London, October
2010 ‘Collect’ Saatchi Gallery London, May 2010
2010 ‘Meet Your Maker’, NMS, January- March Artist in Residence, touring.
2009 ‘Homecoming’ Exhibition, Musa, Aberdeen, July- September
2009 University of Dundee, seminar relating to the V&A proposal for a building in Dundee UK
2008 ‘Collect’, Victoria & Albert Museum London UK
2007 Visual Arts Scotland, RSA The Mound, Edinburgh, March
2007 ‘The Cutting Edge’ Exhibition, The Best of Scottish Contemporary Craft, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, touring
2005 ‘New Acquisitions’ Craft Gallery, NMS Edinburgh Festival
2005 Textile Biennale Stroud, Gloustershire ‘The Rope Store’ May
2005-11 ‘Threaded & Shredded’ Julies Artisans’ Gallery New York USA
2004 Private Exhibition of Textiles, Los Angeles, USA
2004 ‘Curators Wish List’ Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Nov
2003 ‘The Joy of Living’ Collins Gallery Strathclyde University, Touring
2003 Christmas Exhibition Craft Council Shop at Victoria & Albert Museum London UK
2003 ‘Shine & Shimmer’ Craft Council Shop at Victoria & Albert Museum London UK
2003 ‘Textile ‘ The Green Gallery, Aberfoyle, UK Feb/Mar
2003 Scottish Gallery Edinburgh UK Mixed Show, Feb/Mar
2002 ‘Men in Skirts’, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Feb/May
1998/02 ‘Satellites of Fashion’ Craft Council & The British Council Touring
2001 ‘Rise & Shine’ The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Jan - Mar
2000 ‘To Boldly Sew’ Textiles for the C21st McManus Galleries, Dundee, toured
1999 ‘Textiles’, Nottingham Castle Museum Sept - Nov
1999 ‘The Uncut Cloth’ Paisley Museum & Art Gallery
Television and Radio
2014 ABC Breakfast Television, Australia
2014 BBC News 24 Commonwealth Games
2014 STV Evening News Commonwealth Games
2014 BBC 2 ‘Scotland 2014’ Commonwealth Games
2013 The Culture Studio Live BBC Radio Scotland with Sanjeev Kholi
2010 Flag Handover Ceremony Commonwealth Games, Delhi
2009 Filming, Made in Scotland STV Designing The Michie Tartan
2008 BBC Radio Scotland ‘The Radio Café’ Mackintosh CAT Exhibition Huntarian Gallery Glasgow University 5th September 2008
2006 BBC Radio Scotland ‘The Radio Café’ re: Jean Muir Legacy, NMS, 6th June
2006 BBC Radio Scotland ‘The Radio Café’ re: EIFF April 25th
2005 Larry Hoff Show, WB11 New York, USA
Publications
Selvedge “Slash And Show” issue 72, 2016
Selvedge “The Realities of Being a Designer” issue 70, 2016
Sunday Herald Life ‘Well Plaid’ 16th November 2014
Sunday Herald, ‘Unveilled: the woman who will design Scotland’s Commonwealth Games parade costumes’. 21st July 2013
Glasgow Herald, ‘Stylish Living’ Magazine, June 2012
Scotland on Sunday, ‘Spectrum’ Magazine, 27th May 2012
Craft arts International, ‘Threads of Emancipation’ Nov/Dec 2011
Embroidery, ‘Weaving the National Identity’ May/June 2011
The Glasgow Herald, Scottish Artist at the Saatchi Gallery, 17th May 2010
The Sunday Times, Ecosse 14th February 2010
The Scotsman Magazine ‘Crafty Characters’ 30th January 2010
Selvedge Scottish Designers Sept/Oct 09
The List ‘How did you get this Job’ 14/21th Aug 08
Selvedge ‘New Designers’ Issue 23, May/June 08
Surface Design, ‘The Girl In The Hat’ Summer 07, USA
Elle Decoration, France, April 2007 L’Ecosse Cote’ Ouest
The Herald, ‘Sew Far So Good’ Friday 26th January 2007
The Scotsman, Friday 26th January 2007, ‘A Cut Above’
‘Jewelry’ in Fashion Trends, The Art of the Commission January 2007, USA
The Scotsman Magazine, Modern Treasure January 13th 2007
The Herald, ‘Strictly Expensive’ November 30th 2006
Le Monde. Fr ‘Les Jeune Creayeurs Ecossais Jouent avec Les Stanards’ 16th May 2006
‘Jewelry’ in Fashion Trends, Hanging with Jilli Blackwood, Premier Issue, USA
Evening Times, Style, ‘Glasgow’s my City of Inspiration’ 28th Oct 05
Stern Magazine July 05 About Glasgow Germany
Lecturing
2019 European Craft Exhibition at Kuwait National Museum, Kuwait
2019 Dundee Embroiderers’ Guild
2018 Craft Scotland 2018 Conference, National Museums, Scotland
2018 Gallery of Modern Art Glasgow, Creative Industry Series
2017 Dumfries Embroiderers’ Guild
2016 Naked Craft Synposium, The Barony Centre, West Kilbride UK
2016 Helensburgh Art Club, Argyll
2016 ‘Design outside the lines’ Retreat, Santa Barbara, California
2015 The Glasgow Embroiderers Guild
2015 The Riverside Museum, Glasgow, ‘Meet the Makers’ Designers from the Glasgow Games
2015 The West of Scotland Weavers Dyers and Spinners Glasgow
2014 Glasgow Society of Women Artists
2014 The Riverside Museum Glasgow, ‘The Yellow Brick Road’
2012 ‘The Confidence Trick’, St Paul’s Pollok Glasgow,
2012 The Burrell Collection, Glasgow, November
2011 The Craft Show, Philadelphia, USA
Workshops
2019 Edinburgh Embroiderers’ Guild
2018 ‘Art House’ Ladybank UK, Tendrils
2016 West of Scotland Weavers Spinners and Dyers
2012 Glasgow Academy, Lecture and Textile Workshop,
2010/09/08 Inspiration Festival Glasgow The Glasgow Union Commonwealth Flag,
2009/10/11 Tartan Design Workshop, St Ambrose High School, Coatbridge, Glasgow
2009/10 All Saints Secondary, Glasgow, ‘Working with an Artist’
2008/09 The Big Lottery Project, Barrhead, Youth Group,