Jennifer Shellard MSDC

Since graduating from the Royal College with an MA in constructed textiles Jennifer's practice has explored a number of themes, mostly centred around colour, light and visual perception. In more recent years she has been drawn to creating hand woven fashion accessories often featuring interactions of colour and pattern, characterised by her playful compositions, avoiding repeat pattern making each design distinctive and individual.

Her inspiration comes from a wide range of sources, frequently from fleeting or unexpected patterns in the environment in nature and in the constructed environment. Her ideas also emerge from the process of weaving itself – from the limitations and possibilities of the loom. She works extensively in sketchbooks to explore new ideas with collage and painting and, as her ideas develop, worked out on gridded paper The mathematics of tessellations, scale gradations and geometric motifs provide Jennifer with endless permutations, particularly since she currently makes use of a double cloth weave structure, where threads intersect to become top or contrasting bottom layers. Her focus is mainly at the luxury end of the market with the creation of one off designed scarves – essentially heirloom pieces aimed at that very special gift or self indulgence. Her focus on colour and light make spun silk the perfect medium for its ability to so intensely absorb and reflect the spectrum. The feel and drape of the scarves add to the feeling of sumptuousness and luxury.

Born Curitiba Brazil

Education

• MA Constructed Textiles Royal College of Art: 1998
• Brighton Polytechnic; Post Graduate Diploma: 1976
• BA Hons Three Dimensional Design Manchester Polytechnic: 1974

Employment (Higher Education)

• March 2008-Aug 2023: Visiting Lecturer BA and MA Textiles UCA Farnham
• July 2000-2011: Senior Lecturer (Research) London College of Fashion UAL
• March 1990- July 2000: Senior Lecturer Curriculum Coordinator Cordwainers College
• Aug-Sept 2004 Consultancy for handloom sector; Sri Lanka’s Export Development Agency

Exhibitions & Shows

June 2024

• ‘All in the Detail’, Contemporary Applied Arts London

Feb 2023

• Crafts Council ‘Collect’, Somerset House London

Oct. 2022

• ‘Lustre’ (selected) Makers Fair, Nottingham University Campus

April 2022

• Handmade in Highgate, Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution, Highgate Village

Aug 2021

• Cambridge Contemporary Crafts, Group show

July 2021

• New Ashgate Gallery Farnham, Group show

March -April 2018

• Contemporary Applied Arts London (Selected Member from 1998)

09 – 11 June 2017

• Group exhibition ‘Colour Theory’

24 – 27 November 2016

• Collaboration with Lucy Miller fashion knitwear designer. Shown at Cockpit Studios Open

March - April 2015

• Arts Depot Open London N12
• Apthorp Gallery, Group show

June – July 2014

• Digital Encounters: International textile exhibition, part of the ESF ‘Crysalis’ project. Herbert Read Gallery UCA Canterbury Campus, Kent, CT1 3AN,

Nov 2014 - Jan 2013

• CAA gallery Southwark St. London SE1 OHX, “White Christmas”

March 2013

• Group show CAA at ‘Circus’ Marylebone High Street. London

July- Aug 2010

• Fashioning the Future group exhibition Freemantle Art, Centre. Perth W. Australia

July - Aug 2010

• International Baltic Mini Textile Triennial, Poland

March 2010

• RMIT Melbourne ‘Unwrapping the Line’ group show

(Selected) Publications

• Title: ‘Digital Encounters’. Publication: Exhibition Catalogue. Issue: ISBN: 9780992733698. Publisher UCA Farnham 2014. Page ref. ‘Palindrome’ (no page numbers)
• Title: Textiles The Art of Mankind. Author: Mary Schoeser. Issue: ISBN: 978-0-500-51645-4. Publisher Thames & Hudson 2012. Page ref. page 156 (image 145) page 425 (image 108)
• Title: Visual Research Methods in Fashion. Author: Dr Julia Gaimster. Issue: ISBN 978-1 84788 382 7. Publisher Berg 2011. Page ref. Jennifer Shellard case study, page 89
• Title: Shaping Sustainable Fashion. Author: Alison Gwilt and Timo Rissanen. Issue: ISBN: 978-1-84971-241-5 Hardback. ISBN: 978-1-84971-242-2 Paperback. Publisher Earthscan; London Washington DC 2011. Page ref. 1.3 Case Study: New Materials for Fashion
• Title: International Baltic Mini Textile Triennial. Issue: Exhibition Catalogue 2010. Pages Ref. pg 3: Jennifer Shellard “Split Warp”. Published by: The Council of the International Triennial of Tapestry in Lodz
• Title: Design Connexity Exhibition Catalogue 2009