Sue Lawty: Rhythm, Repetition and the Language of Materials
Sue Lawty’s work begins outdoors and takes form in the studio. A keen fell runner and accomplished trekker, she spends long periods running and walking through remote, rocky terrain. These encounters with landscape are embodied and immersive, rooted in movement, effort and exposure. Anchored in this emotional, spiritual and physical engagement with the land, her work has often been described as “spiritual… meditative… a deeply contemplative experience”.
Sue Lawty: Making Order, Gallery 101, V&A.
Sue Lawty, Lead (detail).
Her practice has developed through years of close engagement with materials and with the slow learning that comes from making. Weaving, drawing and assemblage sit comfortably alongside one another, shaped by rhythm, repetition and an alertness to structure. Whether working in linen, hemp, raffia or lead, or arranging tiny fragments of stone into carefully ordered compositions, Lawty allows materials to guide the work, responding to weight, texture and resistance as much as to intention.
Sue Lawty, 240,000 Stones (detail).
Sue Lawty on an exposed high path after Dibling, Indian Himalayas.
For Lawty, moving through landscape and making in the studio are inseparable acts. “The euphoria of being alone, alive and alert in the wild mirrors the euphoria of being alone in the middle of a piece of work that’s going well,” she reflects. “Like a drug, I yearn for it.” Beginning a major project, she suggests, resembles setting out on a long run or walk: “You must commit – be prepared to work through the tough bits – to see it through. Focus, purpose, resilience, self-reliance; you’re on your own – whether you succeed or not.”
Sue Lawty, TERRA (detail).
Sue Lawty, Running on Heptonstall Moor, January 2021.
These physical experiences shape the rhythm and pacing of her work. In woven tapestries, repetition and interval emerge through modular structures and limited palettes. Within these pieces, continuity is disrupted by slits, pauses and returns, where the weft refuses an easy passage across the surface. Such moments introduce tension and openness, recalling split rock, weathered ground and eroded edges. In her stone drawings, tiny ocean-worn fragments are placed with care, allowing subtle shifts of tone and density to emerge over time. Her move towards stone extends these concerns further, gathering countless small elements into unified fields that speak of time, labour and sustained attention.
Exploring Indigo Vats with master dyer and weaver, Shamji Vishram Vankar.
Materials remain central to Lawty’s work. “My interest is in experience, about that which is unconditionally felt, just as music is,” she explains. Linen, handspun hemp from Nepal and raffia echo hard landscapes, while stone, natural rock ochre and lead draw directly from the earth. Through sustained focus on minute detail, she explores hidden languages within the land and makes visible what is easily overlooked.
Travel and exchange continue to nourish her practice. Over three decades, Lawty has led textile journeys across Bhutan, India, Nepal and Central Asia. A recent exchange with master dyer and weaver Shamji Vankar of Kutch has opened new directions, with handspun, naturally dyed Kutchi cotton threads forming the starting point for work planned for 2026. For Lawty, the path forward remains guided by commitment, attention and trust in the unfolding journey.
Details from a sketchbook by Sue Lawty
Sue Lawty, root dyed and woven textile.
We are delighted to announce that on Wednesday 25 February 2026, 5–6pm GMT, Selvedge readers are invited to meet Sue Lawty online for a Meet the Maker event, Rhythm & Repetition in Woven Tapestry. In this illustrated talk, Lawty will share studio work, exhibitions, commissions and teaching projects, before opening the conversation to a live Q&A.
For those who would like to spend longer with her approach, Lawty will also lead a two-part online workshop, Rhythm & Repetition in Woven Tapestry, on Sunday 26 April and Sunday 3 May 2026, 3–6pm GMT. Designed for participants with some weaving experience, the workshop offers time for discussion, practical exploration and independent studio work between sessions.
Both events offer a chance to engage directly with Lawty’s way of working—through listening, asking questions, and making alongside others. Full details and booking information are available on the Selvedge website.
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Further Information:
Rhythm & Repetition in Woven Tapestry:
Selvedge Meet the Maker: Sue Lawty
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Textile Tours with Sue Lawty:
Textiles & Treasures of Central Asia
Textiles Tour of Southern India
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Image Credits:
Lead: Sue Lawty, Intersect (detail).
All further images as credited in photo captions.