Array of textile talent on display at Shrewsbury show
An array of textile talent is on display in Shrewsbury after a competition attracted the highest quality of artistic skill.
The Shrewsbury Drapers Company saw its textile competition return this year with the exhibition of the entries on display to the public at St Mary's Church in Shrewsbury until November 27.
Last year the competition was unable to go ahead because of the pandemic.
Jenny Redford from the Drapers Company said it was wonderful to see its return, with a theme of Rainforest for all those taking part.
The competition was open to adults, college students and key stage 3 and 4 schoolchildren.
The Shrewsbury Drapers Company is a charity that provides alms houses for people in Shropshire and has a remit to advance the study and creativity of people interested in textile. The sponsors of the competition this year were The Worshipful Company of Woolmen, Tweedmill Textiles Ltd, of North Wales, and The Shrewsbury Drapers Company.
There were new categories this year including the Graphic Textile Award.
"Drawing, printed textile imagery and surface pattern are becoming increasingly more important in the digital world of textiles," Jenny said.
"This new award is designed to bring a new dimension to the competition to recognize the skill of drawing and pattern created either by hand or digitally in a graphic form."
A new award for students was the Woolman award for the most innovative use of wool, a collaboration between the Shrewsbury Drapers’ Company and the Worshipful Company of Woolmen.
The Worshipful Company of Woolmen is one of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London. It is known to have existed in 1180 and was officially incorporated in 1522. The Company’s original members were involved with the winding and selling of wool.
The award has been set up to encourage the use of wool in a textile piece.
