Mandy Nash MSDC

Feltmaking, although an ancient craft, is growing into a popular, exciting contemporary medium, expanding in many new directions. Wool is a wonderful, natural and sustainable material and Mandy is enthralled by the meditative, feltmaking process. Recently, she has been experimenting with different wools, exploring their individual characteristics to create tactile, three-dimensional work.

She is a member of the Makers Guild in Wales, the Association of Contemporary Jewellery and MaP, a textile group, and is a regional co-ordinator and chair of the International Feltmakers Association. She has exhibited widely in the UK, Europe, Japan, USA and Canada.

CV

• Born in London in 1957

Art Education

• 1975-76 : Canterbury College of Art – Foundation Course
• 1976-79 : Birmingham Polytechnic – BA(HONS) Jewellery Design
• 1980-83 : Royal College of Art – MA(RCA) Jewellery Design

Recent Exhibitions

• 2010: “Enchanted Heritage”, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran and The National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, MaP exhibition; “The Climate is Changing!”, International Feltmakers Association touring exhibition, The Museum of Textiles, Prato, Italy and various venues in Germany; The Devon Guild, Bovey Tracey, Makers Guild in Wales exhibition; “La Rencontre/The Meeting”, joint MaP/Diagonale exhibition, Maison de la Culture, Montreal; “Textile Traditions”, Oriel CRIC Gallery, Crickhowell; “Festive Feast”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Made By Hand”, Tredegar House, Newport;
• 2011: “The Climate is Changing!”, International Feltmakers Association touring exhibition, North Light Gallery, Huddersfield, Landmark Arts Centre, Twickenham and the Atkinson Gallery, Millfield School; “Enchanted Heritage”, Bath Fringe Festival, Milsom Place, Bath, MaP exhibition; “Welsh Artist of the Year” exhibition, St David’s Hall, Cardiff; “Cwtch”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Craft Showcase”, Wrexham Arts Centre; “Made By Hand”, Tredegar House, Newport;
• 2012: “Material Maps”, MaP exhibition, The Wall Gallery, Newport; “The Climate is Changing!”, International Feltmakers Association touring exhibition, Farfield Mill, Cumbria, Craft in the Bay and Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Le Musée du Feutre, Mouzon, France; Makers Guild in Wales at Walford Mill Arts Centre, Wimborne; “Diamond Jubilee”, ACJ touring exhibition; “Welsh Artist of the Year” exhibition, St David’s Hall, Cardiff;
• 2013: “Horizons”, Walford Mill Arts Centre, Wimborne; “Investigations into Laser Cutting”, Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran; ‘Wood You”, The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent, “Material Connections”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Summer Show”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Craft Showcase”, Oriel Wrecsam; “Darkness Descends”, Cursley and Bond, Folkestone; “Winter in the Valley” Platform Gallery, Clitheroe;
• 2014: “Muscat Festival”, Oman; “Contemporary Textiles Fair”, Teddington; “IFA Educational Exhibition for Black Sheep”, National Centre for Craft and Design, Sleaford; “Icons”, ACJ exhibition, National Centre for Craft and Design, Sleaford; “Pinnies from Heaven”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Fabulous Felt”, Silures Gallery, Porthcawl; “Cywrain”, Galeri, Caernarfon; “Member’s Showcase”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Treat and Be Treated”, Platform Gallery, Clitheroe; “Inspire”, Walford Mill Crafts, Wimborne;
• 2015: “Makers XChange”, Brewery Arts Centre, Cirencester; “Pinnies from Heaven”, Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran; “Beginnings”, Seven:14, Y Galeri, Caerphilly; “Intrinsic” (a touring exhibition also curated by Mandy Nash), Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, Nicola Hurst Gallery, Plymouth, Craft Centre and Design Gallery, Leeds, Cursley and Bond Gallery, Folkestone; “British Gardens”, Ferrers Gallery, Ashby de la Zouche; “Linen Futures”, R-Space Gallery, Lisburn, N Ireland; “Made”, Devon Guild, Bovey Tracey; “Christmas Shows”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, Oriel y Parc, St Davids; ‘Arts Vend’, Oriel Wrecsam, Wrexham:
• 2016: “Intrinsic” (a touring exhibition also curated by Mandy Nash), Aspex, Portsmouth; “Made With Love”, Craft Centre and Design Gallery, Leeds; “Linen Futures”, Ulster Museum, Belfast; “Celebrate”, Seven:14, Oriel CRIC, Crickhowell; “Weave”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Linen Futures”, Wirksworth Arts Trail; “Choice!”, ACJ exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham; “Hygge”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Northern Star”, Platform Gallery, Clitheroe; “Christmas Show”, Oriel Bevan Jones Gallery, Carmarthen;
• 2017: “Glow”, Oriel CRiC, Crickhowell; “Craft Showcase”, Ferrers Gallery, Ashby de la Zouch; “Bohemia”, Arteria, Lancaster; “Apron Strings”, MaP, Wirksworth Arts Trail; “Salalah Festival”, Oman;
• 2018: “Choice!”, ACJ exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham; “Linen Futures 2”, Art in the Loft Gallery, Portoferry; ; “Feutre Roux d’Ardenne”, Musée du Feutre, Mouzon, France; “Apricity”, Arteria, Lancaster; “Make 2018”, Devon Guild, Bovey Tracey;
• 2019: “Imbalance”, Artichoke Gallery, Ticehurst; “Feutre Roux d’Ardenne”, la Maison des laines à Redu, Belgium; “Art Vestimentaire”, Musée du Feutre, Mouzon, France; “Wool Works”, MaP/Modus touring exhibition, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Wintertide”, Arteria, Lancaster; “Connections”, ACJ touring exhibition, Goldsmiths’ Centre, London; “Make 2019”, Devon Guild, Bovey Tracey;
• 2020: “Live Live”, Arteria, Lancaster; “Wool Works”, MaP/Modus touring exhibition, Craftcorner Gallery, Helsinki, Finland; “Connections”, ACJ touring exhibition, The Lighthouse, Glasgow; “Kaleidoscope”, IFA online exhibition; “Feltart Biennale”, Leineperi, Finland; “glasshouses”, ACJ online exhibition;
• 2021: “2021 Open”, ACJ members’ online exhibition; “40 Brooches for 40 Years”, Dazzle exhibition, Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh; “Craft Showcase – Launch of Making Felt Bags”, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff;
• 2022: “Spring Show”, Oriel CRiC, Crickhowell; “Reflections”, MaP exhibition, Craft in the Bay, Cardiff; “Flora and Fauna”, IFA online exhibition; “Meanings and Messages”, ACJ 25th Anniversary touring exhibition, St Georges Arts Centre, Gravesend; “Felt Stained Glass Exhibition”, Pearce Museum, Dublin; "Wool Works", MaP exhibition, CraftNI Gallery, Belfast; "Reflections", MaP exhibition, Newtownards Arts Centre;

Recent Awards/Competitions

• 2003: selected as member of MaP textiles group
• 2005: Wales Arts International grant to visit Japan
• 2006: selected to design and make the Menter a Busnes Awards presented at the National Eisteddfod
• 2008: second prize in the Wonder of Wool competition at Wonderwool, Wales
• 2008: artist in residence, Treochy Junior School – project creating six felt wall hangings
• 2008: artist in residence, Rhondda Cynon Taf Small Schools network – project creating ten felt wall hangings
• 2009: artist in residence, Cultural Olympiad Cauldrons and Furnaces Project, Blaenavon
• 2009: featured in “Non-Precious Jewellery” by Kathie Murphy
• 2010: Wales Arts International grant to visit Prato, Italy
• 2010: Arts Council of Wales grant to research laser cutting
• 2011: featured in “Anodised!” by Claire Styles
• 2014: Wales Arts International Opportunities Fund grant research visit to Oman
• 2016: featured in “Worldwide Colours of Felt”
• 2017: Wales Arts International Opportunities Fund grant research visit to Oman
• 2018: Wales Arts International Opportunities Fund grant research visit to Finland
• 2021: “Making Felt Bags” published by Crowood Press
• 2022: “British Wool for Feltmaking” published by Crowood Press

Teaching / Lectures

SIAD; London College of Furniture; Trowbridge Art College; Sydney College of the Arts; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology; Canberra School of Art; South Australia College of Art; North East Wales Institute; Cardiff Institute of Higher Education; Various Adult Education Institutes; Various Comprehensive and Primary Schools; UWIC; various Art and Craft Centres; Bournville College; Craft Angels Network mentor; Cultural Enterprise Service mentor; Dynamo Role Model