My textile craft practice revolves round reflection, experimentation and creative play; central to this is the environment where I work. Here the weather is elemental in its effects on the shoreline where wind and water constantly alter its appearance. These changes, the surfaces they throw up, are my sources of inspiration and my need to visualize them constantly impacts on my creative practice.

The methods I use to explore these changes in surface qualities are based on traditional textile techniques such as painting, printing, stitch and collage on fabric. However the combination of these with digital technology is allowing me to develop ideas more quickly and in greater depth than before. The integration of tacit knowledge of textile crafting skills, digital photography and wide format digital printing is opening up new worlds of expression and communication.

Through collaborating with fellow textile artists and researchers, I have developed an interest in reflecting on my practice and found its value in developing a 'new voice' for my future artworks.

The outcome of this reflection is a new direction and experimental body of work, which seeks to illustrate the transitional phases of the shoreline.
The resulting work takes the form of several printed/painted/manipulated silk pieces, both three and two dimensional, wall mounted/suspended, which interact and resemble the transformations occurring along a specific tideline on a Scottish island. My painted/printed textiles have evolved over the years from decorative and illustrative surface pattern into more abstracted forms. Living on the Isle of Arran has influenced my conscious awareness of the metaphysical qualities of the land and sea and how this affects the transient way we view our world. Erosion, exposed layers suspended in time are a special focus.

I am currently undertaking a practice based PhD at the University of the West of Scotland, examining the interconnection of natural environment with intuition, tacit knowledge, restorative theory and the creative process. My visit to Australia in October 2010 will offer an insight into the impact of the land on Aboriginal Culture, where belief systems are seen to be elemental to wellbeing.

Awards

2010 NAN Bursary £500 towards Shorelines collaborative project in Australia

2010 £1709 Scottish Arts Council Professional Development Award towards travel, research and development costs towards Shorelines exhibition in Australia in 2010

2009 Seasilks catalogue shortlisted for the Welsh Design Award, Welsh Design Festival

2009  Hi-Arts Award for Artists towards exhibition costs

2008 Hope Scott Trust Award, towards exhibition catalogue

2007 Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Grant towards Shorelines’ a practice based investigation into the role of physicality and hand use in creative digital practice

2005 £700 Scottish Arts Council Professional Development Award, towards travel and attendance at the International Surface Design Conference, Kansas City, US and to attend exhibitions; Digital Reflections and Recursions in Kansas City and Columbia, U.S. £800.00

2005 Hi-Arts Awards for Artists, towards costs incurred in transporting work to the US exhibitions mentioned above. £500

2004 Scottish Arts Council Professional Development Award, to allow attendance at the Challenging Crafts Conference, Robert Gordon’s University, Aberdeen. £150

2003 Scottish Arts Council Award, towards costs to attend the International Surface Design Conference, Kansas City, U.S. £800

2003 Develop Craft Ayrshire Award, towards costs to attend the International Surface Design Conference, Kansas City, U.S. £250

2003 Hi-Arts Awards for Artists, towards framing costs for Tidelines exhibition at An Tobar Art Centre, Isle of Mull. £300

2002 Scottish Arts Council Training Award; towards costs to travel the Netherlands to study Digital Imaging Techniques with textile artist, Wilma Kuil and to visit the Dutch Textile Museum in Tilburg. £500

Education

1976 - Dundee College of Education, Certificate in Secondary Education, Art & Design

1975 - Post Diploma, Highly Commended, Textile Design & Printmaking, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee.

1974 - DA in Textile Design & Printmaking, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee

1970 - 72 - Glasgow School of Art, General Course.

Residencies

2009           Artists Residency at Brisons Veor with Dr Cathy Treadaway

2008 - 2009 Artist in Residence, Carrick Academy, Maybole

2005 - 2006 Artist in Residence, St Andrew's Academy, Saltcoats

2004 - 2005 Artist in Residence, Lochgilphead High School

2004 - Resident Artist, Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum, Musselburgh 

2004 - Resident Craftsperson with Carrick Young Arts Artist in Residence Project, creating a wallhanging for Maybole Library, Ayrshire

1977 - 78 - Artist in Residence, Livingston New Town

Teaching

2007 - Associate Lecturer in Art Education University of Paisley

2006 Visiting Lecturer, Lincoln University and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, University of Dundee

2006 Argyll College

2003 - Tutor Open College of the Arts, Textiles

2000 - James Watt College - P/T Lecturer in Art and Design

1990 - 92 - Art Teacher, Arran High School

1977 - 85 - Art Teacher, Tayside Regional Council

Professional Societies

Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

General Teaching Council

Applied Arts Scotland

Visual Arts Scotland

EDGE

Surface Design Association

Textile Society

SSA

Experience

2009 - Artist’s talk, workshop and installation/exhibition Seasilks   The 10th   European Affective Education Network (EAEN) Conference. University of West of Scotland.  

2008 - Craftscotland Board Member

2008 - Secretary Ayrshire Arts Network

2006-09 Specialist Advisor, Scottish Arts Council.

2006 - Speaker at NSEAD Conference, University of Strathclyde

2006 - Speaker Perth Visual Arts Forum

2006 -GTS Teacher Research Programme

2002 - Chair and Workshop Co - Ordinator for Arran Visual Arts

1992 - Established Arran Fine Art Silks - an open access design studio, creating textiles for clients worldwide and an art education centre for silk painting/printing

Publications

2009 - Seasilks Exhibition Catalogue  ISBN: 978-1-90561777-77-7 published by UWIC

Mentioned in the following publications and research papers written by Dr Cathy Treadaway, Reader in Creative Practice, University of Wales,Cardiff:

(2008), ‘Shorelines: revealing experience in digital practice’ in Media-N e-journal, Pub. New Media Caucus, USA

Treadaway, C., (2007), 'Materiality, memory, and imagination: using empathy to research creativity’, in Leonardo, MIT Press, USA

For full details please refer to www.ctdesign.biz following link under 'Research'

2002 - A - N Magazine.   CRAFTS.  Embroidery.  Develop Craft Ayrshire.   Pasts & Presents Exhibition Catalogue & Focal Point Exhibition Catalogue, Dick Institute.

2001 - Homeshow Magazine.  Glasgow Herald Review.  Quatro Book of Waistcoats.