Lindsey Marshall MSDC

Lindsey has been immersed in tapestry weaving since 2010, following a career in visual communication. Prior to this, many years ago, she completed a BA Hons in textiles but this has not been her main area of practice for several years. Many of her textile designs are formed from abstracted typographic shapes, calligraphic and gestural marks: drawing on past experience, merging visual communication and textiles.

Her work combines woven tapestry with other textile techniques such as knotting, wrapping and binding. The method and media are determined as the concept develops: in this process, the image and the substance are integral – created simultaneously, the craft of weaving as vital to the work as the image it forms. Although usually hidden by the weft in woven tapestry, the warp is used, in some pieces, to intensify the outline or meaning of the work. It also plays an important part in developing 3-dimensional forms using a pulled-warp technique.

Much of Lindsey’s work aims to convey concepts and ideas in a non-representational way: thoughts that arise from issues such as conflict and climate which the slow, rhythmic craft of weaving provides ample time to consider. It represents an emotional responses to the strange times people are experiencing and how they are reacting to the changes in their environment and the destruction of life. The use of textiles to convey emotions relating to these concerns, to the desire for comfort, seems appropriate – textile arts have developed from traditions of looking after people’s needs. So, although much of her work is formed around thoughts of despair and dismay, the intention is to signify a way through, of hope.

Tapestry weaving is, often, a slow process which can sometimes isolate the practitioner. Lindsey finds that being involved in developing and running courses, as well as co-curating Tapestry Touring International, helps develop links with other craftspeople, providing opportunities to develop work in a community of practice – exchanging knowledge, ideas and information with shared understandings.

Education

• BA Hons Liverpool College of Art
• PhD Lancaster University
• Co-founded and co-curate Tapestry Touring International, 2016-date: a not for profit organisation to promote and increase awareness of small-scale textile (predominantly tapestry weaving) and provide opportunities to exhibit nationally and internationally.

Recent group exhibitions

2025

• From Lausanne to Beijing 13th International Fiber Art Bienniale, Beijing, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
• British Tapestry Group 20th Anniversary exhibition
• Fabric of the North, BTG North exhibition 2025-27.
12th International Biennial Mini Textile Art ‘Scythia’, Ukraine 
2024
Heallreaf 5 Exhibition, UK
• Australian Tapestry Workshop’s Kate Derum Award shortlist
• Harley Open, The Harley Gallery, Nottinghamshire
• Z krozna do Krozna, 12th International Artistic Linen Cloth Biennial, Poland
• 15th International Textile Art Biennial ‘Scythia’, Ukraine

2023

• The Jubilee exhibition, Janina Monkuté-Marks Art Museum, Lithuania
• Handweavers Guild of America Small Expressions, USA
• 11th International Biennial Mini Textile Art ‘Scythia’, Ukraine
• American Tapestry Biennial 14

2022

• Heallreaf 4 Exhibition, UK
• Z krozna do Krozna, 11th International Artistic Linen Cloth Biennial, Poland
• XXV Salón Minitextiles, Centro Argentino Arte textile

2021

• Artapestry6, Denmark, Sweden, Finland
• Australian Tapestry Workshop’s Kate Derum Award shortlist
• XXIV Salón Minitextiles, Centro Argentino Arte textile
• Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, UK
• ATA Small Tapestry International, USA

2020

• 11th International Fiber Art Biennial, Beijing, China
• Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, UK
• The Baldishol: A Medieval Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles, USA
• 13th International Textile Art Biennial ‘Scythia’, Ukraine
• 2nd Triennial of mini-textiles, Russia
• 29th Edition Miniartextil, Italy

Awards

• Heallreaf 5, 2025, People’s Choice Award
• International Artistic Linen Cloth Biennial, nominated for award 2022, 2024
XXIV Salón Minitextiles, Centro Argentino Arte textile 2023, awarded mention
• Royal Birmingham Society of Artists 2018, highly commended
• The Baldishol: A Medieval Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles, USA 2020, first place
• Triennial of mini-textiles, Russia 2018, first place 3D work

Recent publications

• Thinking Aloud – 3D Tapestry Weaving in the Journal for Weavers, Spinners & Dyers, Issue 252, 285
• American Tapestry Alliance Tapestry Topics, Issue 51.2, 47.1, 46.3, 45.2, 39.4 (guest editor), 40.2 (guest editor)
• Letter Arts Review 34.3, 33.5, 31:1