Weavers of the Midlands Online Talk Day

Every year, we focus on the weavers of a particular region and do our best to highlight the diversity that this craft can provide. This year, our focus turns to weavers who work in The Midlands and this year we we will hear from weavers who are working in very diverse field of weaving, from creating their own brand, to taking inspiration from weaving heritage, from creating woven art pieces to intricate braids. Each weaver has their own story to tell and will share their inspiration, motivation and love of the craft.

Our first talk at 10am will be by Jennie Parry.

Jennie is a weaver that uses the Kumihimo braiding technique. She says: “My creative life changed in 1985 when I learned to use a marudai. Today my relationship with the most sophisticated type of Japanese braiding equipment, the takadai, and now the three level ‘Tri Takadai’ is deeply rooted, total and passionate. The freedom for (my) hands to pass through the fanned out warp threads choosing a path for the . . . bobbin thread to change from warp to weft, to decide its destination on the same level or to a different level, and to beat with a highly personal touch of the sword/hera/tou leads to highly personal work ”  Jennie uses a variety of non-traditional yarn in her work; Japanese paper, monofilament, silk, linen, lycra, shrinking yarns, silk and stainless steel, and even dissolving threads. This innovative approach to the traditional craft has led to her international recognition and respect. Her continued exploration and experimentation is admirable of which she says, “I continue to strive for a simplicity of form, to seek the essence of rhythm and inner oneness that I value and respect in Japanese craftsmanship.”

At 11.30 we will hear from Helen Foot.

Helen’s playful style has been described as ‘Rebellious Nostalgia’. With a strong sense of colour and a passion for keeping traditional skills alive, Helen creates beautiful fabrics in harmony with the loom. Using a 24 shaft computerised AVL loom, Helen handweaves her collection of scarves and other goods from her home studio. Her inspiration is drawn from traditional handcrafts such as patchwork and cross-stitch which she merges with contemporary geometric patterns and bold colour combinations. There’s always a story behind her collections of work from an interest in organic gardening, six colour palettes began to form based on edible plant families. The a love of expressive fine artists became a squeeze of paint in the form of a wiggly french knitted tube. Investigating the Festival of Britain grew into a collection of scarves which took their names and colourways from cities which hosted events for the 1951 celebration of Britain. Helen trained at the Royal College of Art and since graduation has designed fashion fabrics for Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen. She is a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen and Design Nation.

Then after lunch at 1.30 will will hear from Momoka Gomi.

Momoka is a Japanese-born, UK-based textile artist who explores the connections between memory, time, and identity through weaving. Her practice revolves around the slow and meditative process of handweaving, which she sees as a metaphor for life—where each thread contributes to a larger narrative shaped by time and transformation. She works primarily with handwoven denim, incorporating techniques such as bleach, sandpaper, and knife treatments to create layered textures that evoke a sense of erosion and fading. Her pieces often feature organic patterns that emerge naturally through the weaving process, marking traces of time and preservation. Through her work, Momoka invites viewers to reflect on the beauty of imperfection and the quiet poetry found in materials that carry history. She explains the origin of her work; “My grandmother had a way of reshaping reality—turning ordinary moments into stories that felt almost dreamlike. As a child, I believed every tale she told, even when the details shifted each time. When she was later diagnosed with dementia, I began to see her storytelling in a new light—not as something fading, but as something transforming. She remains at the heart of my work, shaping the way I think about memory and change. ”

Our final speaker of the day is Sue Russell who is working with Masson Mills in Derbyshire.

Sue says that she came to weaving relatively late in life inspired by a visit to the tapestry exhibition at Stirling Castle.  Captivated by the craft she started on a part time BA (Hons) in Textile Design at the University of Derby in 2016 specialising in weave.  Now she is in the final stages of a PhD using weaving as a research tool exploring Masson Mills in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. She weaves using her beloved 4-shaft Harris loom, but thanks to Masson Mills, she also has a collection of 8 and 16-shaft dual warp beam Harris looms to use for demonstrations and workshops.  Through the University of Derby she also has the use of a 24-shaft floor standing Arm loom and a Bonas jacquard.  These two looms that I use for the majority of my research work which we will hear about in Sue’s talk.

All four talks will be held online using Zoom and recorded. Ticket holders will be able to watch the recordings for two weeks following the event.