Helen Banzhaf MSDC

Stitched & Constructed Textiles

About Helen
Helen Banzhaf has been making her machine embroideries since the 1990's. Her textile practice went hand-in-hand with her fashion lecturing until her retirement from teaching in 2010. Nowadays she concentrates on designing and developing her framed textile pieces. Helen is a Member of the 62 Group of Textile Artists and she is on the Crafts Council Index of Selected Makers. Her work has been featured in books and articles and is regularly exhibited nationally and internationally.
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Anything to do with stitches is Helen's thing! It's been thrilling her since the age of seven. She remembers, sitting with her mother so utterly happily hand stitching tiny Viyella T-shaped vests for the impending arrival of her sister. From those moments and their associations she was hooked!

Helen went to Art School, firstly in Brighton and she graduated from St. Martin's School of Art with a First Class Honours Degree in Fashion in 1970.

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Memberships

62 Group of Textile Artists

Crafts Council Index of Selected Makers

United Society of Artists

Full Member of the Society of Designer/Craftsmen


Articles / Features / Books

Lesley Millar, ‘Radical Thread’, 2012

Diana Springall, ‘An Embroiderer’s Eye’, 2009

Diana Springall, ‘Inspired to Stitch’ – A&C Black, 2005

Simon Jennings, ‘Artist’s Manual of Colour’ – Collins, 2003

The World of Embroidery – ‘A Personal Approach’ by Jae Maries 1999

Fiberarts Design Book Six – Lark Books 1999

Marcus Field, ‘Lookout’, Crafts – May / June 1995

Robin Bicknell, ‘Variations on a Theme’, Inspirations - March 1994

Victoria Brown, ‘Feltworks’ – cactus curtain - Anness Publishing Ltd. 1996

Clare Carter, ‘Machine Embroidery’ – book binder - Quadrille 1996

Lucinda Ganderton, ‘Romantic Keepsakes’ - Anness Publishing Ltd. 1995

Juliet Bawden, ‘Jewellery & Accessories’ – Letts of London 1994


Television

The Craft Hour – Master Craftswoman, BBC 2, 1997


Awards

1998 Craft & Design, National Eisteddfod of Wales


Exhibitions

2018 ‘Winter Group Show’, Linden Hall Studios, Deal, Kent: ‘Rebel Daughters’, The Point, Doncaster: Society of Designer Craftmen, Chelsea College of Art, London

2017 ‘What is Stitch’, The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery, Sunbury-on-Thames: ‘Making Space’ 62 Group, Knit & Stitch Show, London & Edinburgh

2016 Open Exhibition, Oriel Cric Gallery, Crickhowell: UA Members’ Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London: ‘Making Space’,62 Group Show, Macclesfield Silk Museum, Macclesfield, Cheshire: ‘SKIN’, The Horsebridge Gallery, Whitstable, Kent

2015 ‘Now’, Upfront Gallery, Unthank, Penrith, Cumbria: United Society of Artists Annual Members’ Exhibition at Bankside Gallery, Southbank, London: ‘East meets West’, CIC Gallery, Taunton, Somerset

2014 Parallax Art Fair, London: United Society of Artists Open, The Gallery, Cork Street, London: Art Southbank, UA Annual Exhibition, The Bankside Gallery, London

2013 ‘The London Group Centenary Show’ at The Cello Factory, Waterloo, London: ‘Small Talk’ at Constance Howard Gallery, Goldsmiths University, London: ‘62@50’ KOYO Gallery, Showa Women’s University, Tokyo, Japan

2012 ‘Interventions’ at Manchester Museum of Costume: ‘62@60’ at Holden Gallery, Manchester: K&S Package Tour – London, Dublin, Harrogate: Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, Cumbria; Lee Green Open Studios

2011 ‘Seven Strands’ at Gate Gallery, Grimsby: Greenwich Picture House

2010 ‘Bending More Lines’ at Rijswijk Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands and Collins Gallery, Glasgow (62 Group): Fibre Arts, Geelong, Australia: East Kent Open Houses, Faversham: Lee Green Open Studios

2009 ‘An Embroiderer’s Eye’ at Macclesfield Silk Museum: Solo exhibition at Lewisham College: Canterbury Festival Open Houses Show at the Tin Church, Faversham

2008 The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent: ‘Size Matters’ at Rochester Art Gallery (62 Group)

2007 ‘Collect’ at the V&A with the 62 Group: ‘Dazzle’ at The National Theatre, London: The Knit & Stitch Show in London, Dublin & Harrogate

2006 ‘The Painted Pot’ at Newport City Art Gallery: ‘Tracing Threads’, 62 Group show at Hove Museum & Art Gallery

2005 Exhibition of work at the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, Harrogate, & Dublin to promote ‘Inspired to Stitch’: Textile Show, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead

2004 Ceramics Fair, Tredegar House, Newport: ‘Of Material Concern’ at the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield – 62 Group

2003 'Loose Threads' Rufford Craft Centre, Ollerton, Notts: Bowie & Hulbert, Hay-on-Wye

2002 ‘Textiles in Context’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London – 62 Group:

Stark Gallery, SE London

2001 ‘Home Sweet Home’ – a travelling British Council Exhibition to Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Australia: 62 Group – Cajobah, Birkenhead: Rochester Craft Case, Medway Galleries: ‘Art of the Stitch’, Mall Galleries: London & Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead

2000 Cleveland Crafts Centre: Crafts Council - New York International Fair: 62 Group Show – ‘Out of the Garden’, Shipley Art Gallery

1999 Crafts Council Shop at the V&A: Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Carmarthen: Chelsea Crafts Fair; National Eisteddfod of Wales: Vena Bunker Gallery, Bristol: ‘On & Off the Wall – 62 Group Show at Maidstone Museum & City Art Gallery, Edinburgh: Rangers House, Blackheath: Piece Hall Art Gallery, Halifax

1998 ‘Gone Soft Again’, Brook Street Pottery, Hay-on-Wye: National Eisteddfod of Wales, Bridgend: ‘50/50’ – 62 Group, Tel Aviv, Israel & touring with Knit & Stitch Show: Oxford Gallery, Oxford

1997 The Grace Barrand Design Centre, Nuttfield: ‘Winter Show’ – Pacific Heights, San Francisco: The Language of Touch’ – 62 Goup, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford: Foyer Showcases – Crafts Council: The San Francisco International Fair with the Crafts Council: Ruskin Gallery, Sheffield: Wilcox Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon: Hitchcocks’ Gallery, Bath: The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon: Beatrice Royal Contemporary Art Gallery, Eastleigh

1996 Bothy Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield: Woodlands Art Gallery, Blackheath: Grace Barrand Design Centre: Chelsea Crafts Fair: Textiles Show at Marks & Spencers, Baker Street: Vena Bunker Gallery, Bristol: Rufford Craft Centre, Ollerton, Notts

1995 Chelsea Crafts Fair: Clayton Gallery, Newcastle-upon Tyne: Model House, Craft & Design Centre, Llantrisant: Woodlands Art Gallery, Blackheath: Gardner Centre, Sussex University

1994/1993/1992 Brewery Arts, Cirencester: Clayton Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, CCA Galleries, Bath, Chelsea Crafts Fair, Solo Exhibition at Blackheath Concert Halls

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