Sunday 26 April & 3 May 2026, 3 - 6pm BST, Rhythm & Repetition in Woven Tapestry with Sue Lawty

ONLINE WORKSHOP 

Hosted on Zoom by Sue Lawty

Sunday 26 April & 3 May 2026, 3-6pm BST (British Summer Time)

Sue Lawty's quiet, minimal and abstract works are strongly informed by the material of their construction and characterised by quiet rhythm, repetition and meticulous attention to detail. Whether making drawings and assemblages using tiny stones creating a kind of pixelated cloth or weaving in linen, hemp, raphia or lead, she talks of the 'integrity of mark making intrinsic to particular thread or structure'.

Lawty is a highly experienced artist, designer and teacher, whose work is in collections worldwide including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London where, as Artist in Residence/ Associate Artist 2005 – 2010, alongside a solo exhibition of her work, she developed bespoke affiliated education and community projects. Prestigious Artist Research Fellowships include Smithsonian Museums USA, the School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds and the International Studio Programme in Sweden. All these experiences continue to provide stimulus for her creative thinking. 

Lawty is also a keen fell runner and an accomplished trekker, leading both hard mountain treks and specialist textile trips to Bhutan, India and Central Asia. The book 'Earth Materials' was published in 2017 about her work.

Workshop Description 
The binary nature of weaving is fundamentally a modular repetitive structure. This workshop is an opportunity to delve into the potential creative riches of the rhythms and duplications inherent therein.

With Sue Lawty’s works and extensive inspiration of other artists to hand, the aim is for participants to develop a heightened sensibility to the possibility of pulse and cadence within their own work. Subtle, nuanced investigation of iteration in structure, material, textural distinctions, mark, movement, rhythm, flow, interval, tone, colour and scale will be explored to inform thinking and design.

Stimulus, open discussion and suggested practical study within the first session will lay the ground for independent studio inquiry during the intervening week–– before reconvening to disseminate findings and generate plans for future projects. 

Personalised exchange across the two sessions is designed to encourage increased rigour and critical awareness in each individual’s practice. Participants will be guided to become increasingly discerning in pursuit of distinctive individual expression.

Please Note: Materials are not included in this workshop, and should be prepared by the participant ahead of the first session.

Materials List:

• Your own selection of warp threads, ideally three different gauges
• Any of your own weft threads that would like to use e.g. twines, raphia, linen, hemp, ramie, cotton, paper, silk, wools, hand spun/hand dyed, fine wire, old clothes torn into thin strips, etc.
• Strong, simple frame – at least 45 x 30 cm. (NOT a picture frame). No nails. Or your loom
• Small sharp scissors
• Household fork or tapestry bobbins (whichever you like to use)
• Sewing needles & thread
• Flat 6” Ruler or thin lath of wood (for separating warp threads)
• Sketchbook / notebook
• Camera / phone camera
  

Workshop Level
Suitable for participants with some experience. Participants should be familiar with setting up a warp on a simple frame.

Workshop Location
A Zoom link will be sent to participants the week before the workshop.

Workshop Recording
This workshop will be a one-off live event in order that participants may fully engage and respond to each other in real time. It will not be recorded.

Workshop Cancellation Policy

All places reserved for workshops are non-refundable. 

If you require additional information about this workshop please contact events@selvedge.org.

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