Christine Benson
The Evolutionary Thread

Monday 16 October - Wednesday 22 November 2006

The title for this exhibition I feel covers what I and my students are about, I aim to take individual students on their own personal journey through an open flexible and creative learning experience that will develop their own style. Students work their concept through design exploration and experimental sampling to achieve finished works of art.

The result is that no two students work is alike. This exhibition work will be as diverse as they are and have a range of topics that include mythology, landscape, and fashion. We are linked by our common use of thread and an overriding theme that is simply the power of the stitch. Most will work in a contemporary way, but there is still space for pure traditional work. For those who continue to work this way it is important that it is valued alongside exploratory textiles, indeed it emphasises The Evolutionary Thread.

Personal Statement

"My work comes from within, I need to be emotionally engaged in whatever the subject matter before I am able to start a piece.

Inspiration comes from; - a moment in time, an event, music, words, landscape or architecture and always the sea, it is a constant for me. Usually there will be a combination of many of the above. Music dictates the rhythm or harmony, sometimes symbolism may be used in imagery or colour, not always evident to the viewer - it is important to allow space for them to view or read my work as they wish.

My use of materials reflect the emotions, sensitive, sometimes quite fragile, always the colours and the way I use them.

Layers of fabrics, fibres and threads, the majority of which are hand dyed silks, these are so intensely worked that the stitch becomes an integral part of the whole fabric. The reason for this too is symbolic; the individual "materials" are tenuous, insubstantial, but worked together as I use them there is a strength that enables them to stand alone.

By contrast the images in monochrome are minimal”.

Many of the students are also members of the Embroiderers' Guild, for whom 2006 is the centenary year. ( At the time of writing I am chairman of the Pembrokeshire branch)

We are also aware that the Last Invasion Tapestry is edging closer to achieving it's permanent home in Fishguard.

These are important local links that in someway may well have an influencing contribution to the work undertaken by individuals, all of which will hopefully highlight the standard and interest in textiles in this part of Wales.

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10am - 8 pm Monday - Sunday

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Oriel Mwldan Patron Mary Lloyd Jones