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 & Awards
1996-99 BA(hons) Textiles, Manchester Metropolitan University.
2001-03 North West Art Board Setting Up Grant.
2003 BCTF Newcomer Award- Highly Commended.
2004 BCTF Award for Excellence
2004 Designfront 04 - Commended for Best Stand
2006 Awarded Grand Designs Magazine ‘Best in Show’ at Origin: The London Craft Fair
2007 Country Living Fair - Winner of 'Best New Product'.

 

Exhibitions (selected)
1999 The Platform Gallery, Clitheroe. 'Threads'. An exhibition of contemporary textiles.
1999 The Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon. 'New Weaves'. Innovative weaving.
2000 Cleveland Craft Centre/ Bluecoat Display Centre/ Ruskin Gallery. 'Value Judgements'. A touring exhibition based around issues of worth.
2001 Blackfriars Arts Centre, Lincolnshire. 'Recycled'
2002 The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford. 'Best Foot Forward'. Artist made shoes.
2002 Creative Consultants Gallery, Manchester. Joint exhibition.
2002 The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport.
2002 The Lion Gallery, Herefordshire. 'Fruitful'. Work using or depicting fruit.
2002 Bury Art Gallery & Museum. 'IDEAS: Innovative Design Exhibited & Sold'
2003 Harris Museum & Art Gallery. Craft Showcase.
2003 Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk. 'Next Big Step'.
2003 The New Studio, Bucks. Solo Exhibition.
2003 The Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool. 'Tracing Paper'. An exhibition of artists working with paper.
2004 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe. 'Food, Glorious Food'.
2004 The Harris Museum & Arts Gallery, Preston. 'Everything you can imagine is real'.
2004 Millenium Galleries, Sheffield. 'Secret Garden'.
2004 Druncroon, Wigan. 'A Trace of Memory'.
2004 Chelsea Craft Fair, London. First time exhibitor.
2004 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe. 'All My Friends Are Artists Too' Solo exhibition.
2005 The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport. Solo exhibition.
2005 Leeds Craft & Design Centre. ‘Expect The Unexpected’
2006 Borough Museum & Art Gallery, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Solo exhibition.
2005 Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. ‘Indian Summer’
2005 Byard Art, Cambridge. ‘Silver Threads’
2005 The Islington Contemporary Art & Design Fair
2006 Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool. ‘Where The Heart Is’
2006 The Design Centre & Craft Gallery, Leeds. ‘Love Me Do’
2006 Rochester Art Gallery, Kent. Craft Showcase
2006 Byard Art, Cambridge. ‘North Sounth East West’
2006 Waterside Arts Centre, Sale. ‘Threadbare’2006 Design Edge, Surrey.
2006 Origin: The London Craft Fair.
2006 Oriel Davies Gallery, Powys. Folktale and Fairy Stories
2007 Country Living Fair, London. Retail Show
2007 Turnpike Gallery, Leigh. Words 07. Literature based work to accompany the literature festival.
2007 Platform Gallery, Clitheroe. Garment. Group exhibition on the theme of ‘dress’ 2007. RBSA, Birmingham. ‘Journeys’
2007 Affordable Art Fair, New York.
2007 Sara Preisler Gallery, Custard Factory, Birmingham. Solo Exhibition.
2007 RBSA, Birmingham. ‘Paperworks’
2007 Manchester Craft & Design Centre. ‘Paper’
2007 Origin: The London Craft Fair.
2007 The Beetroot Tree, Derbyshire. Solo Show.
2008 Liberty, London. Haberdashery department exhibition.
2008 The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne. ‘Well Thread’
2008 12 Degrees, Edinburgh. ‘Stitched Up’

Commissions
1999 Hatworks, Stockport. Garments, hats & shoes produced for the opening exhibition.
 2000 Q-Arts, Derby. Dresses impregnated with seeds created for 'Environment Week'.
 2001 Craftspace Touring, Birmingham. A series of ironic fruit bowls made from fruit.
 2002 Manchester Art Gallery. A dress & shoes produced for the 'Made in Manchester' section.
2003 Centro, Birmingham. A dress fabricated in metal to adorn a bus information point in Small Heath.
 2004 20-21 Visual Arts, Scunthorpe. A wedding dress, with accessories for the 'Food, Glorious Food' exhibition.
2007 Craftbox, Bilston Craft Gallery/ Shropshire County Council. A specially commissioned box of contemporary craft objects to tour around non-art venues.
2007 Making Moves, Jubilee Baths, Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Creating site-specific artwork in response to these victorian baths to tour as part of 'Handmade3'. This also involved mentoring a recent jewellery graduate.
2008 Kew Ltd. Producing 'Kew' style garments out of paper for window display in their London Stores.

 

Public Collections
Manchester Art Gallery
The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport
The Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester

 

Professional
Vale Royal Borough Council. Sept 99-March 00
I did a six-month artist in residency for Vale Royal Borough Council, in Northwich. I had a studio space within The London Road Gallery, where I was responsible for the day to day running of the gallery, as well as putting up and selecting the exhibitions. I also ran workshops within the gallery space and did a Saturday art club each week with 5-11 year olds. As part of my residency I also undertook supply teaching at Mid Cheshire College.

The Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester. Sept 01-April 04
I was artist in residence at the Museum, with my studio based within The Gallery of Fibres, Fashion & Fabrics. I served as an exhibit to the visitors, as well as doing workshops & demonstrations.

Stafford College, HND Craft. Jan 07 - Present day. I currently teach HND Craft at Stafford College one day a week.

I 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, colleges, galleries; with a diverse cross section of community groups.

 

Workshops & Teaching (selected)
Q-Arts, Derby- May 2000. Workshops with 'Headway', a drop in centre for adults with head injuries.
Northern Lights- June2000. I undertook a 10-day residency in two 6th form colleges, to coincide with the 'Value Judgements' exhibition.
Birkenhead Sixth Form College, Birkenhead- June 2001. Investigating objects, using it as the inspiration as well as the media for their work.
Burnley College and Nelson & Colne College- Sept 2001. Workshops to support the Mid-Pennine Gallery Exhibition of Caroline Broadhead's work.
Meadowbank Special School, Liverpool- July 2002. Fruit workshops with pupils from the junior and senior school.
Gallery Oldham- Aug 2002. Recycling workshop based on the exhibition 'Sussed'. I have also run special needs workshops and teacher training sessions
Irwell Valley, Manchester- Sept 2002. Community network map.
Lesbian & gay youth group, Manchester- Sept 2002. Shoe workshop.
Manchester Art Gallery- Oct 2002. Leaf workshop with children.
The Gallery of Costume, Manchester- March 2003. Adult textile workshops. I continue to run workshops regularly at the Gallery of Costume.
Capenhurst Grange School- March 2003. Recycled wall hanging with young adults excluded from main stream schools.
Stockport College (Foundation Course)-May 2003. Garment workshops.
Stockport College (BA Textiles course) - May 2003. Visiting lecturer for a 6 week project.
Heald Place Primary School, Manchester- May 2003. Sari's impregnated with cress seeds for the 'Streets Ahead' Festival.
Knossington Grange School- July 2003. Textile workshops with pupils with emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Halton Show- July 2003. Fruit cards to promote healthy eating. I continue to run these drop in workshops when required at shows in Halton
Sutton Place Safe Centre, Hull- Sept 2003. Textiles workshop with young adults in a secure unit.
Cannock Chase Museum and Libraries- Oct 2003. Shoe making workshops.
Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham- Sept- Dec 2003. Lead artist on a project looking at the Omega workshops, set up by the Bloomsbury artists. This involved facilitating and running workshops between three schools, two artists and the gallery, culminating in an exhibition.
North Salford Youth Club- Jan-March 2004. 10 week textile project, culminating in an exhibition of the work produced.
Hopwood Hall College- Jan 2004. Workshops with HND Textile students.
Sure Start, Runcorn- Feb 2004. Textile sessions with women suffering from postnatal depression. I have continued to run these workshops, that is an 8-week project run four times a year.
Grange School, Oldham- April 2004. Inset day demonstrating innovative techniques to teachers.
Harris Gallery, Preston- June 2004. Shoemaking workshop linked to 'Everything you can imagine is real' exhibition.
Recharge, Widnes- Dec 2004. Christmas gift making workshops with adults who lack of mobility due to illness. I continue to run workshops with this group about 2/3 times a year.
North Salford Youth Club- Jan-March 2005. 10 week textile project, culminating in an exhibition of the work produced.
Mam Art Group, Cheadle- March 2005. I regularly work with this group for vulnerable mothers in Cheadle, to do art workshops
The Brindley, Runcorn- March 2005. 4 week textiles taster course with adults at the art centre.
The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport- April 2005. Workshops to support my solo exhibition.
Weatherhead High School, Birkenhead- April 2005. A six week project creating garments with year 7 students for a recycled fashion show.
The Peoples History Museum, Manchester- May 2005. Drop in workshops to accompany ‘Their Past, Your Future’ Exhibition.
The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport – May 2005. Shoe making workshops.
Northmoor Women’s Group, Manchester- May 2005. Four week project producing work for ‘The Garden of Delights’ with vulnerable women.
Sefton Council, Bootle- Aug 2005. Running workshops for the inclusion officer with a group of neglected and abused children (10- 13 years old). The group therefore had complex needs and confidence issues.
Cannock Chase Council- September 2005. Producing work with various community groups for the sculpture trail. I now regularly run workshops for Cannock Chase Council, from drop-in family fun days to AONB Conferences, to children’s workshops at the Museum of Cannock Chase.
Sefton Council, Bootle- Nov 2005. I am currently working on a project based on the Antony Gormley installation ‘Another Place’, that runs along Seftons coastline. This has been running since November and has involved me going into numerous primary schools, as well as several secondary schools and running family fun days.
Loretto College, Hulme- Feb 2006. Experimental textile workshops demonstrating techniques.
Whitworth Art Gallery- March 2006. Working on a four week citizenship project for the gallery with a school in Wythenshaw.
Rochester Craft Gallery, Kent- March 2006. Three days of art workshops to support my craft showcase exhibition at the gallery.
Mind, Burton on Trent- April 2006. Card making workshops with this mental health support group.
Carers Association, Burton on Trent- May 2006. Personality portrait workshop with the Carers Association.
Worcestershire Arts & Education- June 2006. Inset session with Worcester based teachers.
Staffordshire County Council- Oct-Dec 2006. Working on a mental well being project with young people, based in schools and groups within the community.
Redbrooke Hayes Primary School, Rugeley- Oct - Dec 06. Creating banners, through art workshops with each of the eight year groups, that would signpost the class rooms of their new school.
East Staffs BC/ CAMHS (children & adult mental health service)- Feb 2007. Running art work shops with hard to reach young people.
 Bantock House, Wolverhampton – Jan-April 2007. 13 week residency running art workshops, as well as using the studio space to create new work.
Making Moves, Newcastle underLyme. May- June 2007. Six-week residency at 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.
Fridays4U. Burton Children’s Centre- Nov 2007. Working with the teenage parent support unit, running a project with vulnerable young mums.
APlus and The Adult Acute Unit- Oct- Dec 2007. Working within two mental well being organizations to produce for to go into an exhibition.
Staffordshire County Council. March 08. Working with women who have suffered from domestic violence.
Worcester Resource Exchange Conference- March 08. Art workshops at this recycling conference.

Publications:
Crafts Magazine Vol 165
Craftsman Magazine Issues 143 & 145
Artist's Newsletter Aug 03
Elle Decoration Sept 03/ Oct 04/ Dec 04/ Jan 05
Eve Magazine Feb 04
Embroidered Purses by Linda Tudor July 04
Living etc Sept 04/Dec 06
Red Magazine Dec 04/ Feb 05
You Magazine Feb 05
Telegraph Magazine March 05
Brides Magazine March 05
Grand Designs March 05
Sunday Times Style Magazine June 05
Staffordshire Life June 06
Embroidery Magazine Jan 07
Crafts Mar/Apr 07
Period Living Jun 07
Selvedge Sep/Oct 07
Craft: Transforming Traditional Craft Oct 07
Times Magazine November 07
 Home & Antiques December 07
Country Living Feb 08

Books:
Embroidered Purses by Linda Tudor
Miracle of Grace by Kate Kerrigan (inc on cover image)
Choosing & using Paper for great graphic design by Mark Hampshire & Keith Stephenson

                        

Frequently Asked Questions

(Should you need to email me with any questions that haven't been answered, please ensure that you spamguard is set at a level that will accept mail from the yahoo servers)

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.

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 for the last 4 years, 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.

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 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.