‘Inspired by Landscape’ Eight Textile Artists

by Celia Eddy
published: 06/11/2001
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Jennifer Hollingdale is well-know both as a charismatic teacher and as the maker of beautiful and original quilts. Each year, she and eight friends (all ex-pupils of Jennifer) retreat to an idyllic spot in the south of the Lake District, where for a week they work intensively on ideas of their own which they’re developing, and also on design ideas and challenges which Jennifer provides. This is the fourth year when they’ve done this, but the first that they’ve actually exhibited the work although almost all of them regularly exhibit in national and local shows – and as regularly win awards.

Jennifer Hollingdale's 'Tilted Squares' shows her inventive play on the traditional blocks theme.

In addition to Jennifer herself, the artists are Susie Daker, Anne Jones, Jane Hickman, Janet O’Connell, Kay Telford, Grit Traum and Chistabel Winterton. The work was shown in a spacious gallery – in fact the Music Room of Sellet Hall which has been improvised from a large barn. It made a wonderfully appropriate setting for the quilts, some of which were set of against the rugged stone of the walls, others against painted backgrounds. I spent a long afternoon talking to the artists as they keenly discussed their sources and working methods and, in some cases, showed their design sources and the development of ideas. I came away both fired with enthusiasm – and slightly awed by the sheer dedication to their work which shone out of every one of them.

'Lichens' by Anne Jones. A quilted construction on which the 'lichens' have been intricately embroidered.

What they produced varied from Anne Jones’s intricately embroidered hanging, ‘Lichens’, to Jennifer Hollingdale’s inventive interpretation of the traditional blocks theme, ‘Tilted Squares.’ Some pieces stretched the boundaries between the quilt and textile art in general, with the use of some very un-quilt-like materials. Altogether, it was one of those exhibitions which tends to evoke a whole series of questions about the direction of quilt art so I was able to drive back through the beguiling scenery of South Lakeland pondering these questions and the relationship between art and landscape .

'Landscape IV: Limestone' by Janet O'Donnell. Pieced and appliqued.

This year’s exhibition took place between 11th and 13th October. It’s not know yet if there will be repeat next year, but if there is, it’s well worth the trip into the Lake District to see it. Sellet Hall is a few miles from Kendal, in a village called Stainton. Despite being so near to the tourist haunts of that area, it has a refreshing air of seclusion from the hustle and bustle of the busy centres. Jennifer and friends were housed in a part of the property called Sallat Brow, self-catering-catering accommodation for up to ten people with absolutely every mod. con. you can think of. They had space to work in a baronial–style hall where Jennifer had set out tables for them. Altogether, I couldn’t imagine a much better spot for a ‘quilting retreat’ so if you’ve got a group who might be interested, you can get all the details in a brochure from the owners: charlottepople@currantbun.com

© Celia Eddy