Crossed, Discarded, Folded
An exhibition of rare prints made from textiles in the 1960s by artist and weaver Ann Sutton, displaying a series of lithographs made in 1969/1970 by artist and weaver
Ann Sutton. The lithographs have rarely been shown, having been carefully stored by Ann for over fifty years. They are beautiful images relating to Ann’s work with textiles. The lithographs were made by dropping textile items directly on to the printing plates.
"I took my items; pair of ‘fully fashioned’ stockings, knitted pieces, and later a string vest to the printers and put then directly onto the plates. One stocking I put on my leg and peeled it off, in prostitute fashion, dropping it directly from leg to plate”. Ann Sutton 2023.
The prints come directly from Ann Sutton’s archive and all the prints are available for sale.
About Ann Sutton
Artist, weaver, writer and educator, Ann Sutton was born in 1935 in Staffordshire. Ann trained at Cardiff College of Art from 1951-56, studying Embroidery and Woven Textile Design. After college she took up teaching, but also continued with her own practice working on textiles. She was influenced by her time at the Summer School at Barry, South Wales, which was loosely modelled on Bauhaus principles and Ann learnt not only about textiles but also ideas about colour and spatial theory. Ann has always experimented with her work and she has been fascinated by the potential of the materials. In her work she has used materials as diverse as silk, wool, nylon filament, metal thread and perspex.
Ann has become an internationally recognised woven textile artist and designer, having exhibited worldwide. Her work is held in public and private collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate and the Crafts Council Collection. She has also undertaken significant commissions for public buildings, such as an award-winning work for Southampton City Art Gallery (1992). In 1991 Sutton was awarded an MBE for services to textiles. In 2022 she had a solo show at the Roche Court New Art Centre and in the same year was awarded an OBE for her services to the arts.
Less well known is that Ann also explored printmaking in the same imaginative way that she sought out new ideas in textiles. Ann’s prints were made in the 1960s and have rarely been shown.
The idea to make a series of prints came about in 1969 when Ann had a solo show at the British Craft Centre in London. She was keen that there would be something from the exhibition that people could take away to remember the event. Ann decided that she would make a series of affordable prints. Ann had only previously done printmaking when at school making linocuts, so she went to her local print studio. She recalls that:
"I took my items; pair of ‘fully fashioned’ stockings, knitted pieces, and later a string vest to the printers and put then directly onto the plates. One stocking I put on my leg and peeled it off, in prostitute fashion, dropping it directly from leg to plate”.
There are eight images, all lithographs on paper, made in editions of 75. The V&A Museum bought one of each for their collection and a year later they commissioned Ann to make a second series of prints, to tour in a solo print exhibition. In 1970 Ann made a series of eight prints of gloves and knitted squares by printing directly on to aluminium at the Alcan factory. These photo-etchings were never made into an edition as it was too costly. The V&A hold examples of all Ann’s prints in their collection.
Crossed, Discarded, Folded is on show at Emma Mason Gallery and online on their website until 30 March 2024.
Images courtesy of Ann Sutton.
Find out more and plan your visit:
www.emmamason.co.uk
Ann Sutton. The lithographs have rarely been shown, having been carefully stored by Ann for over fifty years. They are beautiful images relating to Ann’s work with textiles. The lithographs were made by dropping textile items directly on to the printing plates.
"I took my items; pair of ‘fully fashioned’ stockings, knitted pieces, and later a string vest to the printers and put then directly onto the plates. One stocking I put on my leg and peeled it off, in prostitute fashion, dropping it directly from leg to plate”. Ann Sutton 2023.
The prints come directly from Ann Sutton’s archive and all the prints are available for sale.
About Ann Sutton
Artist, weaver, writer and educator, Ann Sutton was born in 1935 in Staffordshire. Ann trained at Cardiff College of Art from 1951-56, studying Embroidery and Woven Textile Design. After college she took up teaching, but also continued with her own practice working on textiles. She was influenced by her time at the Summer School at Barry, South Wales, which was loosely modelled on Bauhaus principles and Ann learnt not only about textiles but also ideas about colour and spatial theory. Ann has always experimented with her work and she has been fascinated by the potential of the materials. In her work she has used materials as diverse as silk, wool, nylon filament, metal thread and perspex.
Ann has become an internationally recognised woven textile artist and designer, having exhibited worldwide. Her work is held in public and private collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate and the Crafts Council Collection. She has also undertaken significant commissions for public buildings, such as an award-winning work for Southampton City Art Gallery (1992). In 1991 Sutton was awarded an MBE for services to textiles. In 2022 she had a solo show at the Roche Court New Art Centre and in the same year was awarded an OBE for her services to the arts.
Less well known is that Ann also explored printmaking in the same imaginative way that she sought out new ideas in textiles. Ann’s prints were made in the 1960s and have rarely been shown.
The idea to make a series of prints came about in 1969 when Ann had a solo show at the British Craft Centre in London. She was keen that there would be something from the exhibition that people could take away to remember the event. Ann decided that she would make a series of affordable prints. Ann had only previously done printmaking when at school making linocuts, so she went to her local print studio. She recalls that:
"I took my items; pair of ‘fully fashioned’ stockings, knitted pieces, and later a string vest to the printers and put then directly onto the plates. One stocking I put on my leg and peeled it off, in prostitute fashion, dropping it directly from leg to plate”.
There are eight images, all lithographs on paper, made in editions of 75. The V&A Museum bought one of each for their collection and a year later they commissioned Ann to make a second series of prints, to tour in a solo print exhibition. In 1970 Ann made a series of eight prints of gloves and knitted squares by printing directly on to aluminium at the Alcan factory. These photo-etchings were never made into an edition as it was too costly. The V&A hold examples of all Ann’s prints in their collection.
Crossed, Discarded, Folded is on show at Emma Mason Gallery and online on their website until 30 March 2024.
Images courtesy of Ann Sutton.
Find out more and plan your visit:
www.emmamason.co.uk