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Elisabeth Rutt MSDC

Stitched & Constructed Textiles

About Elisabeth
Elisabeth is an artist working with textiles. Having first learned to stitch in childhood and after years of education and research in textile techniques Elisabeth now chooses to use simple hand stitching and surface darning allowing her work and what it is about, rather than the technique, to be predominant. Elisabeth’s work is usually designed to be wall hung with an occasional move into 3D work. However, a new departure has been to make large stitched ‘cloths’ of dry felted fibres densely stitched and displayed horizontally on a flat surface.
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Biography Back to top

Elisabeth’s meticulous but intuitive stitched work comes from somewhere between her art school training at Goldsmiths and her lifelong love of textiles and stitch. She approaches her work from a fine art perspective rather than being led by a technique, her preoccupations are form and colour what she can make them do in fabric and thread and what they will do for her in return.
Stitches appear as drawn marks that record observations and what Elisabeth is thinking about, work is usually (but not always) abstract but is always rooted in thorough research and reality. Recognising chance in design, utilising it and a love of asymmetry play a large part in Elisabeth’s stitched textiles.

For the last few years her work has been about patterns in the British landscape, particularly of the underlying chalk and how it has influenced the landscape. The white eroded patterns and lines of pathways, of tractor tracks, ancient buildings, earthworks and the meanderings of chalk streams across the land has led to new work about geology, landforms and the palimpsest of underlying patterns in the land. In her “Land marks” series, hand stitch, surface darning, felted fabrics, screen printing and old paper maps have made imaginary ‘mind’s eye’ landscapes.

Elisabeth works from her home studio in rural Suffolk.

Resumé Back to top

Education

  • Bachelor of Humanities Hons degree, Goldsmiths College, University of London, in Fine Art and Dance, June 1982
  • City and Guilds Cert in Embroidery part 1 Distinction, part 2 Highly Commended in Medal of excellence scheme.

Career

  • Freelance textile artist, tutor and mentor, since 2003 and continuing.
  • Mentor/tutor, Textile Masterclass at The Letchworth Settlement, Independent Adult Education Centre Letchworth Herts. Sept 2008 – Sept 2009, and since Sept 2014 - 2020
  • Artist in Residence, Bury St Edmunds, Primary Schools Partnership, March 2017
  • Gallery Manager, Smiths Row, formerly Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Jan 2006 – July 2012
  • Curator, Smiths Row, ‘Smiths Row at Christmas’, Sept 2010 – Jan 2011
  • Associate Artist, Dance East, Ipswich. 2006 – 2010.
  • Artist in Residence, ‘Making Art Work’ with Dance East, Ipswich. April 2005 – April 2006.
  • Artist in Residence, King Edward VI High School, Bury St Edmunds. Annual Arts Week, 2004 – 2018.
  • Interior Designer, Amicus Interiors, Hitchin, Herts, Nov 1993 – July 1997
  • Retail Training Manager, Royal Worcester Spode, London and South East Region. Jan 1987 – May 1988
  • Commercial Manager, Marks and Spencer plc, Aug 1982 – Jan 1987

Memberships

  • Embroiderers’ Guild, since 1987 and continuing.
  • Suffolk Craft Society. 1999 – 2021.
  • Hue, Textile Artists. Founder member in 2009 and continuing.
  • Letchworth Settlement, Adult Education centre. 2005 and continuing.
  • Crafts Council Directory. 2015 - 2021

Selected Exhibitions

2020:

  • Chaiya Art Awards,
  • ‘Impact’, Online exhibition, 15th June – 30 Sept.
  • Chaiya Art Awards, ‘Where is God in our 21st Century’, online exhibition, May and June.

2019:

  • The Harley Open, The Harley Gallery Worksop. 19th Jan – 24th March.

2018:

  • Orford Great House Gallery, Christmas Exhibition. Orford Ness, Suffolk. 30th Nov – 4th Dec
  • Art Van Go, HUE group exhibition. ‘The Old Ways; Re-Patterned’, Knebworth. 1st – 30th June
  • Chaiya Art Awards, ‘Where is God in our 21st Century?’ OXO Tower, London.
  • Inaugural biennial art awards, exhibition and hardback book of the same name.
  • In receipt of the Bezalel award. 29th March – 8th April.

2017:

  • Knitting and Stitching shows, autumn 2017 with HUE. ‘The Old Ways; Re-patterned’
  • Exhibition within the Textile Gallery, at Alexandra Palace and Harrogate shows.
  • Artist’s Talk ‘From page to thread’ given at Alexandra Palace show. Oct and Nov
  • ‘HUE 4’ group exhibition. The Rhodes Gallery, Bishops Stortford. April 2017

2016:

  • Threads Open Textile Exhibition, Salisbury Arts, 10 Oct – 12 Nov.

2015:

  • Embroiderers’ Guild, Eastern Regional Day, Guest exhibitor, St Albans, Herts. July
  • The Sentinel Gallery, Wivenhoe, Opening Exhibition, March – April 2015
  • The Harley Open, The Harley Gallery Worksop. Feb – April 2015,

Pre 2015:

  • Suffolk Showcase open exhibition, Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery and Smiths Row. Work selected 2013, 2011, 2010, 2008, and 2007.
  • Green Christmas, Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Nov - Dec, 2010,
  • Seasonal Splendour, Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Nov – Dec 2009.
  • Crafts at Christmas, Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Nov – Dec 2007.
  • Making Art Work - The Exhibition, Suffolk County Council Headquarters, Endeavour House, Ipswich. May – Sept 2006
  • Inspired to Stitch, Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. March – April 2004
  • All Stitched Up, Christchurch Mansion and Wolsey Art Gallery, Ipswich. Nov 2003 – Jan 2004
  • East Anglian Textile Exhibition, Great Walsingham Gallery, Norfolk. Sept – Nov 2003
  • Running Stitches, Craftco Gallery, Southwold, Suffolk. May – June 2001
  • Riches of Stitches, Embroiderers’ Guild at The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry. April – July 2000
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