About
Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is a beautiful and bountiful textile archive, evidence the keenly focussed and passionate interest of Miss Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth who throughout her life of collecting, created something quite remarkable, which she used to pass on knowledge and skills to others through her teaching. 'Miss Rachel' would only add new pieces to her collection if it was the finest example. Those whose work was considered to be to her high standards must have felt an enormous pride at being acknowledged by her.
Miss Isabel Walton was one such person. The daughter of a Blackburn coal merchant, born just six years after Miss Rachel, in 1892 and a gifted art student. Isabel won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, studying Architecture and Embroidery between 1915 and 1920. After graduating, she taught briefly in London before returning to her home town. She taught embroidery and weaving at Blackburn Technical College until around 1950 when she retired.
Miss Rachel referred to Isabel as 'Isa'; they must have had a strong bond through their shared passion of the extraordinary work that can be achieved through the combination of fabric, needle, thread and the human hand. Some of Isabel's work is held in Miss Rachel's collection, a few added during her lifetime, and teaching notes and samples donated by her family after her death, in 1962. Her obituary is shown, left.
This online sharing of knowledge has been created by artist Jeni McConnell to support her new commission with Gawthorpe Textiles Collection. It is done in the hope that more information can be discovered about Isabel, her connections to Miss Rachel and to the people and places of Blackburn. It's been built upon the great research already completed by the Collections team, particularly Jane and Jenny, who have given time to share what they know about Isabel alongside sharing the notes, letters, drawings, photographs and work held in the collection.
These findings will inform creative happenings to share and illuminate Miss Isabel Walton in a new way; Exploring the Distaff Effect, which will take place at Gawthorpe Hall through October and early November 2018.
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Jeni McConnell
people | place | ARTIST | object | archive
The work has been commissioned by Gawthorpe Textiles Museum, supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund.
More information can be found here:
https://www.jenimcconnell.co.uk/exploring-the-distaff-effect.html
Miss Rachel referred to Isabel as 'Isa'; they must have had a strong bond through their shared passion of the extraordinary work that can be achieved through the combination of fabric, needle, thread and the human hand. Some of Isabel's work is held in Miss Rachel's collection, a few added during her lifetime, and teaching notes and samples donated by her family after her death, in 1962. Her obituary is shown, left.
This online sharing of knowledge has been created by artist Jeni McConnell to support her new commission with Gawthorpe Textiles Collection. It is done in the hope that more information can be discovered about Isabel, her connections to Miss Rachel and to the people and places of Blackburn. It's been built upon the great research already completed by the Collections team, particularly Jane and Jenny, who have given time to share what they know about Isabel alongside sharing the notes, letters, drawings, photographs and work held in the collection.
These findings will inform creative happenings to share and illuminate Miss Isabel Walton in a new way; Exploring the Distaff Effect, which will take place at Gawthorpe Hall through October and early November 2018.
- - -
Jeni McConnell
people | place | ARTIST | object | archive
The work has been commissioned by Gawthorpe Textiles Museum, supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund.
More information can be found here:
https://www.jenimcconnell.co.uk/exploring-the-distaff-effect.html