July 2009

Art in Action went well despite poor weather on the second and fourth days. But it wasn't as bad as the 2007 event when I was last there and we watched the Nile Delta recreate itself for our amusement on the floor of the Textiles Tent.

Visitor numbers were up, according to the organisers, and so were my sales. This is excellent, given the economic situation and the fact that I was offering a new range of work. I think that my shawls appeal to a greater range of potential buyer. I sold to young and old. My classic scarves normally sell to the over 40s.

One particular thrill was selling an indigo shawl, with white centre, to a young woman about to be married. She didn't want to wear a veil and the deep blue I'd achieved at the ends of the shawl looked wonderful against her very fine skin.

I seemed to have less time than usual to visit other stands and demonstrations this year. One event I was glad not to have missed was the hand-printing of wallpaper by Cole & Sons. Their website is here. The economy and logic of the physical set-up and the skill of the practitioner (both in his work and in communicating it to us) was inspiring.

During the same week I had to turn down my chance to appear on the 4th Plinth. I had been invited to speak at a conference on sustainability in textiles by the Worshipful Company of Dyers at 11.30 in the City of London. My Plinth spot was offered to me for 11am - 12 noon on the very same day. Neither of these times and dates were changeable, and commitments are just that. I did think of inviting the Conference delegates to meet under the Plinth - but felt this idea might have been greeted with a certain lack of enthusiasm given that the coffee facilities and the next speaker were at least a mile down the road.

In my presentation in Tallow Chandlers Hall I outlined the damage that the historical trade in orchil had done to populations of lichens, centring my talk on the Canary Islands as a typical example. I am continuing with my research, which is not written up on this website. But for an outline of its background you can read an article here