Jennifer Collier – Artist’s Statement
I create innovative textiles and craft pieces using natural and found materials. Through methods of weaving, waxing, trapping, embedding and stitching I create unusual materials, which are then developed into garments and accessories. I often utilise plastics, papers and fabrics into my pieces. The works have the power to communicate ideas about recycling, as well as themes exploring the body. My work is often inspired by literature.The work is non-functional and aims to encourage people to speculate on the nature of value. I enjoy the idea of working with disposable organic materials that are transient in nature, imbuing them with worth and creating something intriguing and of great beauty.

‘Jennifer Collier’s work… uses the symbolic form of clothing …it is used to provoke thoughts about the fragility of the human body, but also makes us question the value we squander looking for something other than the ordinary and everyday - objects that only become painfully precious when we lose them’ Dr. Jane Webb- foreword ‘Threadbare’ catalogue.


Education
1996-99 BA(hons) Textiles, Manchester Metropolitan University.
1995-96 BTEC in Art & Design, Stafford Collage.
1993-95 A-Level Art, Business Studies & English Literature, Weston Road High School.

 Awards
2007 Country Living Fair – Winner ‘Best New Product’
2006 Origin: The London Craft Fair - Grand Designs Magazine ‘Best in Show’
2004 Designfront 04 - Best Stand
2004 BCTF- Award for Excellence
2003 BCTF- Newcomer Award
2001-3 North West Art Board Setting Up Grant.

Exhibitions (selected)
2010 Imagine Gallery, Suffolk. ‘Alice’
2010 The Old School House Gallery, York. ‘Reclaimed’
2009/10 The Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey. Retail craft fair.
2009 Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. ‘Recycled’
2008 National Glass Centre, Sunderland. ‘Beautifully Crafted’
2008 The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne. ‘Well Thread’
2008 Liberty, London. Haberdashery department exhibition.
2007 Manchester Craft & Design Centre. ‘Paper’
2007/08/09 Lustre: Midlands Contemporary Craft Market, Nottingham. Retail craft fair.
2006 RBSA, Birmingham. ‘Paperworks’
2007 Sara Preisler Gallery, Custard Factory, Birmingham. Solo Exhibition.
2007 Affordable Art Fair, New York.
2007 V&A Craft Shop Exhibition. Work created from dress making patterns to link into the ‘Kyle’ garment retrospective.
2007 Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool. ‘Looking Back’. Exhibition on the theme of heritage.
2007 Platform Gallery, Clitheroe. ‘Garment’. An exhibition on the theme of dress.
2006-09 Oriel Davies Gallery, Powys. ‘Folktale and Fairy Tales’ touring exhibition.
2006/07/08/09 Origin: The London Craft Fair. Retail craft fair.
2006 Waterside Arts Centre, Sale. ‘Threadbare’
2006 Rochester Art Gallery, Kent. Craft Showcase
2006 The Design Centre & Craft Gallery, Leeds. ‘Love Me Do’
2005 Borough Museum & Art Gallery, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Solo exhibition.
2005 The Design Centre & Craft Gallery, Leeds. ‘Expect The Unexpected’
2005 The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport. Solo exhibition.
2004 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe. 'All My Friends Are Artists Too'. Solo exhibition.
2004 Chelsea Craft Fair, London. First time exhibitor at this retail craft fair
2004 Druncroon, Wigan. 'A Trace of Memory'.
2004 Millenium Galleries, Sheffield. 'Secret Garden'.
2003 The Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool. 'Tracing Paper'. An exhibition of work created by artists working with paper.
2003 Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk. 'Next Big Step'.
2003 Harris Museum & Art Gallery. Craft Showcase.
2002 Bury Art Gallery & Museum. 'IDEAS: Innovative Design Exhibited & Sold'
2002 The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford. 'Best Foot Forward'. Artist made shoes.
2001 Blackfriars Arts Centre, Lincolnshire. 'Recycled'
2000 Cleveland Craft Centre/ Bluecoat Display Centre/ Ruskin Gallery. 'Value Judgements'. Touring exhibition based on issues of worth.
1999 The Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon. 'New Weaves'. Innovative weaving.
1999 The Platform Gallery, Clitheroe. 'Threads'. An exhibition of contemporary textiles.

Commissions
2010 Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Neo Natal Unit. Time capsule commission to signpost the entrance to the unit.
2006 Simon & Schuster, America. Creating paper garments for the cover artwork of Linda Grants ‘The Thoughtful Dresser’
2007 Kew 159 Ltd, London. Paper ‘Suffolk Puff’ dress for window display to coincide with Chelsea Flower Show.
2008 New Art Gallery, Cirencester/ Bilston Craft Gallery/ Beecroft Art Gallery. Work created for the ‘Top Dog’ exhibition.
2007 Kew 159 Ltd, London. ‘Kew’ style garments created from catalogue pages and maps, for window display in their London stores.
2007 Craftbox, Bilston /Shropshire. A specially commissioned box of contemporary craft objects to tour around non-art venues.
2007 Making Moves, Newcastle under Lyme. Creating work in response to the Jubilee Baths, which toured as part of ‘Handmade3’
2004 20-21 Visual Arts, Scunthorpe. A strawberry wedding dress, with accessories for the 'Food, Glorious Food' exhibition.
2003 Centro, Birmingham. A dress fabricated in metal to adorn a bus information point in Small Heath.
2002 Manchester Art Gallery. A dress & shoes produced for the 'Made in Manchester' section of the gallery.
1999 Craftspace Touring, Birmingham. A series of ironic fruit bowls made from fruit, for ‘Handmade1’ exhibition.
2000 Q-Arts, Derby. Dresses impregnated with seeds created for 'Environment Week'.
1999 Hatworks, Stockport. Garments, hats & shoes produced for the opening exhibition.

Residencies
May 10 Buile Hill High School, Salford. One week residency working with all 5 years of the school, to create a butterfly map. This comprised of a world map, which charted the cultural heritage of each student with a handmade butterfly, with a thread ‘flying’ from their place of origin.

May- June 07 Making Moves, Newcastle under Lyme. Six-week residency at the Jubilee Baths, making new work in response to these Victorian baths, culminating in the work touring as part of ‘Handmade 3’. This also involved mentoring a recent graduate and running art workshops, as well as creating work to go on permanent display at the baths.

Jan-Mar 07 Bantock House, Wolverhampton. Three month residency which involved running art workshops, as well as using the space to create new work in response to the collections and grounds.

Oct-Dec 06 Staffordshire County Council. Mental wellbeing project with young people, based at Allynes High School, Uttoxeter. This was a creative consultation project to find out young people’s perceptions of mental wellbeing, both within the school, and with youth groups in the community.

Mar 06 Whitworth Art Gallery. Working on a four-week citizenship project for the gallery with a school in Wythenshaw.

Apr- May 05 Weatherhead High School, Birkenhead. A six week residency creating garments with year 7 students for a recycled fashion show.

Sept- Dec 03 Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham. Lead artist on a project, facilitating & running workshops with 3 schools, 2 artists & the gallery, culminating in an exhibition, based on the work of the Bloomsbury set and the Omega workshops.

May-June 03 Stockport College, BA Textiles course. Residency where I acted as visiting lecturer on a 6 week garment project.

Sept 01-Apr 04 The Museum Of Science & Industry in Manchester, as part of the North West Art Board Setting Up Scheme.
I was resident at the museum for two and a half years, with a studio space in the gallery of ‘Fibres, Fashion & Fabrics’. I served as an exhibit to the visitors, as well as doing workshops & demonstrations.

Sept 01 Burnley College and Nelson & Colne College. Ten day residency in each college, to support the Mid-Pennine Gallery exhibition of Caroline Broadhead's work.

June 00 Northern Lights. Residency within two 6th form colleges, to coincide with the 'Value Judgements' exhibition.

Sept 99-Mar 00 Vale Royal Borough Council. A six-month artist in residence where I had a studio space at The London Road Gallery. I was responsible for the running of the gallery; curating and selecting exhibitions. As part of this residency I also ran workshops within the gallery & undertook supply teaching at Mid Cheshire College.

Public Collections
The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport
The Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford
The Museum & Art Gallery, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Manchester Art Gallery

Professional
I currently work from a studio in Stafford, and continue my self-employed career through the sale of my work, exhibitions and commissions and by running workshops in schools, collages, and galleries; with a diverse range of community groups. I also have a workshop and gallery space, Unit Twelve, which is open to the public thurs-Sat 10am- 4pm.

Workshops (selected)
July 10 Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Neo Natal Unit. Running art workshops with parents & staff as part of a commission.
Oct 09 Pathways, Staffordshire. Creative consultation project with women who have suffered domestic violence.
Sep 09 Artsfest, Birmingham. Drop in postcard making art workshop, for Craftspace, with 1000 participants over 2 days.
Jul 09-Jan 10 Staffordshire CC. Creative consultation project working with black and duel heritage children and their parents/carers.
Aug 09 Womens Aid, Staffordshire. Working with women and their children, who have suffered domestic abuse.
Jan-May 09 Mother & Baby Unit, St George’s Hospital, Stafford. 14-week project with new mothers suffering from metal wellbeing issues.
Dec 08 Worcester Museum & Art Gallery. Shoe making art workshop.
Sept 08 Mind, Uttoxeter. Working with service users on a ‘heroes & heroines’ project.
August 08 Cannock Chase Council. ‘RECYCLE’ a recycling initiative that involved art workshops in the community.
March 08 Worcester Resource Exchange Conference. Art workshops at this recycling conference.
March 08 Staffordshire County Council. ‘Rising Above it’ Working with women who have suffered from domestic violence.
Oct-Dec 07 APlus & The Adult Acute Unit. Working within two mental well being organizations to produce for an exhibition.
Oct-Nov 07 Fridays4U. Burton Children’s Centre. Working for the teenage parent support unit, creating work with vulnerable young mums.
Feb 07-10 Manchester Art Gallery. Running artists master classes with both students and teachers.
Feb 07 East Staffs BC/ CAMHS (children & adult mental health service). Running art workshops with hard to reach young people.
Jan 07-June 08 HND Craft Course, Stafford College. Teaching part-time on the HND Craft course, mainly focusing on contextual studies.
June 06-10 Worcestershire Arts & Education. Inset session with teachers. I now regularly run workshops at conferences and in schools
May 06 Carers Association, Burton on Trent. Personality portrait workshop with carers.
April 06 Mind, Burton on Trent. Card making workshops with this mental wellbeing support group.
March 06 Rochester Craft Gallery, Kent. Three days of art workshops to support my craft showcase exhibition at the gallery.
Sept 05-10 Cannock Chase Council. Producing work with various community groups for the sculpture trail. I now regularly run workshops for this council, from drop-in family fun days to AONB Conferences, to children’s workshops at the Museum.
Aug 05 Sefton Council, Bootle. Running workshops for the inclusion officer with a group of neglected and abused children.
May 05 Northmoor Women’s Group, Manchester. 4 week project making work for ‘The Garden of Delights’, with vulnerable women.
May 05 The Peoples History Museum, Manchester. Drop in workshops to accompany ‘Their Past, Your Future’ Exhibition.
Jan-Mar 05 North Salford Youth Club. 10 week textile project, culminating in an exhibition of the work produced.
Dec 04-06 Recharge, Widnes. Workshops with adults who lack mobility due to illness. I worked with this group about 3 times a year.
June 04 Harris Gallery, Preston. Shoemaking workshop linked to 'Everything you can imagine is real' exhibition.
Feb 04-06 Sure Start, Runcorn. Textile sessions with women suffering from postnatal depression. An 8-week project run 4 times a year.
Sept 03 Sutton Place Safe Centre, Hull. Textiles workshop with young adults in a secure unit.
July 03 Knossington Grange School. Textile workshops with pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
March 03 Capenhurst Grange School. Recycled wall hanging with young adults excluded from main stream schools.
Mar 03-06 The Gallery of Costume, Manchester. Adult textile workshops.
Sept 02 Lesbian & Gay Youth Group, Manchester. Shoemaking art workshop.
Aug 02-03 Gallery Oldham. Workshops based on the exhibitions. I have also run special needs workshops & teacher training sessions.
May 00 Q-Arts, Derby. Workshops with 'Headway', a drop in centre for adults with head injuries.

Periodicals (selected)
Marie Claire (Spain) June 09
Marie Claire (France) July 08
Country Living Feb 08/July 10
Embroidery Jan 07
Period Living June 07
Craft (American) Oct 07
Selvedge Sept 07
Times Magazine Nov 07
Home & Antiques Dec 07
Grand Designs March 05
Sunday Times Magazine June 05
You Magazine Feb 05/ Feb 10
Telegraph Magazine March 05
Brides Magazine March 05
Livingetc Sept 04/Dec 06/Ap 09/ May 09
Red Magazine Dec 04/ Feb 05
Eve Magazine Feb 04
Elle Decoration Sep 03/ Oct 04/ Dec 04/ Jan 05
Crafts Magazine July 00/ Mar 07/Jan 08
Craftsman Magazine Issues 143/ 145

Books
Sew Eco By Ruth Singer
The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant (produced all cover artwork)
Choosing & Using Paper for Great Graphic Design by Mark Hampshire & Keith Stephenson
Miracle of Grace by Kate Kerrigan (work included on cover image)
Embroidered Purses by Linda Tudor

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you have any questions that haven't been answered on this website, I am happy to answer enquiries providing they are specific and concise (2/3 questions) - I ask this due to the sheer volume of student enquiries I am currently recieving. (Please also ensure that you spamguard is set at a level that will accept mail from the yahoo servers).

Do you have an resources or publications available?
Yes, I have a 16 page printed booklet that has details of all the different techniques and work that I produce, these are £7.00 each. Please click here for more details.

What are your inspirations?
The materials themselves that I use to make my work are my biggest inspiration. I find a media and try to think how I can use it in my work and transform its function. Also I gain inspiration from the places I search for materials, such as flea markets, charity shops, fruit and veg stalls, antique shops etc. Whenever I am really stuck for an idea I seek inspiration from literature or poetry. The original concept for the dresses and shoes came from the novel 'Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson, which I used as the basis for my degree show at university.

Would you say that your work is based on the idea of nostalgia?
This has not been a conscious decision, but due to the nature of materials I use they always spark memories for the viewer.
People tend to attach their own nostalgia to my work by recognising a place on a map, a book they have read, an item they have used. I believe that the work should not have to be explained too much and that the audience can construct their own meanings and narrative.

When and where did you study, and has your work changed much since then?
I did a BA (hons) Textiles, at Manchester Metropolitan University, which was a traditional textiles course specialising in print, knit and weave. Toward the end of the course I started experimenting with different materials, weaving with orange peel, melting fruit bags etc. Most of the techniques I use in my work now are things I have taught myself since graduating by experimenting with different media and techniques.

What techniques do you use in your work?
Weaving, layering, laminating, stitching, waxing, embedding, fusing unusual and found materials. I use resin to embed objects to make some of my jewellery and my coat hangers. Most of my dresses are simply the materials (such as the letters, maps etc.) sewn together to form a fabric, others are treated to create a more stable, 'sewable' fabric. Most shoes are formed over a mould, using a moulding medium, but the stilettos are made from a flat template I have designed, then constructed into a three-dimensional shoe shape. I also use heat transfer printing in my work to create my own printed fabrics.

How long have you been working as an artist?
Since I graduated in 1999, but have only been completely self employed since 2002, as before this I had part time work to support my practice.

What are the best and worst things about being an artist?
The best things are that I am able to produce my own work and be my own boss for a living. I have luckily got to the stage where I only undertake the workshops I enjoy and am able to say no to those that I don't. The worst things are no sick pay, no holiday pay and VERY few days off. I may be my own boss, but my boss is a slave-driver! It is very hard to turn down paid work, so I really struggle to fit everything in. I am trying to sell work, whilst trying new ideas, to run workshops, do exhibitions and undertake commissions and residencies. Also there is a lot of paperwork to be done, which I didn't expect when I started out. Tax returns, updating the website, replying to emails, producing publicity material etc. And I had such romantic visions of sitting sewing all day!

How easy is it to find work/ make a living?
I have been very lucky, and have had some amazing opportunities, such as getting a place on the North West Arts Boards 'Setting Up Scheme'. This gave me a free studio, as well as a maintenance and equipment grants, so I had money and time to set up by business when I was starting out. However I would say that it only has been within the last year that I have finally got to the stage that I am actually making money. So you do have to be really determined and pro-active in finding work and opportunities. You also have to get used to getting rejections, which used to really upset me, but now I realise most of the things you apply for you probably won't get to begin with. Luckily, I have got to the stage where people approach me for exhibitions and workshops, as most work I undertake now is gained through word of mouth and recommendations.

Where do you work?
I have a studio in Stafford, which is where I am from. Before this I was based in Manchester for 10 years, where I had a studio in Stockport. My first studio was at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, as part of my setting up grant.

Can I visit your studio?
Yes, I have just launched Unit Twelve, which is my workshop and exhibition space open to the public, Thursday to Saturday 10am til 4pm. www.unittwelve.co.uk

How do you make money?
By selling my work, through galleries, shops and shows (both trade and retail), by running art workshops, undertaking residencies and doing commissions.

How do you price your work?
How much time and materials it takes, but mainly it is dictated by how much people are willing to pay for it. Over time you get a feel for how much people are (and are not) willing to pay for things and are able to price work accordingly.

Which other artists inspire you?
Lucy Brown, Betty Pepper, Claire Coles, Janet Ledsham, Cas Holmes, Zoe Hope, Sara Fanelli, Susie Freeman,
Su Blackwell, Julie Arkell, Magie Hollingworth and Jane Lennard.

What is the biggest piece of work you have made?
The largest to date is a dress that is 4 ½ m long. I tend to make work that is both extremes of scale, either really big, or really small (which sells better) to get across the fact that my work cannot be worn, that it is fine art textiles rather than fashion.

How would you class your work?
I am not too worried how people choose to class me and my work; whether I am classed as a textile artist, crafts person, maker or simply an artist. For this same reason I do not title my work; it's called whatever it is made from.