Oxford Branch Ruby Anniversary

In July, we enjoyed a lovely ‘Ruby’ Summer Social. With a bit of stitching, some eating and drinking, and an impromptu mini-auction of a yummy fruit-and-veg box straight from Polly’s allotment.

Anne Stearn, Oxford EG’s first ever chairman (and founder) joined us and said she was thrilled that forty years on Oxford EG is still thriving.

What's on in June

During twice yearly visits to the Himalayas, Alain Rouveure collects works from craftsmen he admires, and sells them worldwide at exhibitions, his "Tibetan Rugs in Exile" lectures and from his Galleries in the Cotswolds. Most items on sale, especially his Tibetan rugs, are commissioned by him.

Alain believes that business does not have to be driven by profits at all costs. New or old, each item in his Galleries is unique and has been selected for its quality, its obvious visual appeal and the ethical nature of its production and provenance ... no child labour ... no harmful chemicals ... minimal impact on a fragile environment ... no looting of temples in search of antiques.

© Alain Rouveure

"Tibetan Rugs in Exile"
7.15 pm on 14 June 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00

What's on in May

Natalia Manley is a textile artist specialising in quilted and embroidered textile hangings for walls. She uses many techniques in her work including fabric collage, applique, patchwork, quilting, hand and machine embroidery as well as painting on fabric and canvas. She has won many awards for her work, most recently at the 2011 "Pour l'amour du fil" international exhibition in Nantes, France for her piece "Arrive without Traveling". She held her first solo exhibition in 1989 at the Henley Exhibition centre, UK, and has since exhibited her work regularly throughout the UK, USA, Europe and Middle East.

© Natalia Manley

"Glorious Colour"
7.15 pm on 10 May 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00

A BIG thank you to Eco Alkhemy

Tonight's speaker, Eco Alkhemy, not only gave a most enjoyable talk about her created using mainly recycled materials that push her creativity & uphold her ethos of non wastage of re-usable goods, she presented Oxford Branch with a gift that represents our territorial heritage & embroidery itself.

It is a wonderful embroidery and very generous gift that we were delighted to accept.

© Eco Alkhemy/Oxford Embroiderers' Guild

What's on in April

Lisa Leigh's works are created using mainly recycled materials that push her creativity & uphold her ethos of non wastage of re-usable goods.

© Lisa Leigh

"Eco Alkhemy – Raised embroideries created from recycled materials"
7.15 pm on 12 April 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00

What's on in March

Inspired by her love of nature and fairytales, Isabel Howe's current work consists of sewn, laser cut wooden scenes using surrealism as a theme. Isabel experiments with scale to create mysterious and intriguing pieces of work which play with your imagination. She finds that a narrative informs her work and enjoys making pieces which brings the viewer into a story world.

© Isabel Howe

"My Floral Travels"
7.15 pm on 8 March 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00

What's on in February

"Taxtiles" is a merge of two words "Textile & Taxidermy" Breaking the boundaries to create edgy unique pieces of artwork/gifts for the home and business. Some items are what is called “textile taxidermy” in which techniques used in taxidermy are translated into fabric, yarn and thread. Becky Dick then uses her own style and process called weave binding™ to create these wonderful creatures. No animals were harmed in the writing of this blog.

© Becky Dick

"Taxtiles"
7.15 pm on 8 February 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00

What's on in January

Jessa Fairbrother practice is largely concerned with gesture, making explicit the moment when the donor of the gesture and the gaze of the viewer collide. Jessa says, "I am fascinated by how we perform ourselves continuously, role-playing our identities responding to the ongoing performance of others. In doing so I search for communal meanings defined and given shape through the presence of a figure - this is mostly my own - and make long-term work about how this writes itself upon the body. The purpose of thread, mark-making and stitch are central, physically piercing and extending the image-object beyond a single time and space."

© Jessa Fairbrother

"Stitching myself into the image: embroidering the photograph"
7.15 pm on 11 January 2017
at Iffley Village Church Hall, Iffley, OX4 4EG.

Visitors welcome £6.00