Rebecca Connolly LSDC

Rebecca is a woven textile designer and hand-weaver. Her studio opened in Cirencester, Gloucestershire in 2015.

She creates woven textile designs which evolve as she hand-weaves on the loom. Fabrics for interiors and accessories range from summer shoulder wraps to flatweave meditation rugs. Inspiration for colour palettes comes from natural and urban landscapes and patterning from traditional or folkloric symbols.

British wool is her material of choice, relishing the challenge of designing with the inherent characteristics of the wool from diverse sheep breeds . She has a particular passion for collaborative projects with local producers and processors to increase the provenance of her designs, extending to the use of plant dyes. She is a member of Southwest England Fibreshed.

The 'tools of her trade', generally vintage pieces, include an Old English Inkle loom and several traditional pedal floor and table looms.

Rebecca designs and makes for her own collections, for exhibition or commissioned pieces. She works with sheep farmers, yarn producers, dyers and artisan weaving mills to create pieces in quantity. Delivering workshops in weaving and natural dyeing are an integral part of sharing her creativity and heritage skills.

EMPLOYMENT

Rebecca Connolly Design weave studio, 2015 to present:

Design, Weaving and Natural Dyeing. Tutoring, workshops and courses for individuals and for Art and Craft organisations including:

West Dean College, Chichester. Highgrove Crafts, Tetbury. Prema Arts, Uley. Pound Arts, Corsham. Trowbridge Museum (WEFT event). New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. Bath Spa University, Bath. Cotswold AONB Rural Skills, Northleach. Stitchfest Southwest, Totnes. FibreQuest 2022, Bristol.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS

Made for the Rhythm, curated exhibition of 6 artist/designer/makers, Pound Arts Gallery, Corsham, Wiltshire.(2022)

Living Crafts Cirencester, invited to demonstrate weaving on vintage treadle loom. (2021)

The Cotswold Show, invited to demonstrate weaving on vintage treadle loom, Cirencester.(2021, 2022)

Into the Light, work of selected members of The Society of Designer Craftsmen at The Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester, West Sussex (2020)

West of England Festival of Textiles, exhibition of new designs inspired by the Mary Quant textile archive at Trowbridge Museum, Wiltshire (2019)

Get Fresh Devon Guild of Craftsmen's biennial showcase of emerging designer makers, Bovey Tracey, Devon (2019)

Hand of the Maker, Exhibition of Society of Designer Craftsmen, Chelsea College of Art, London (2018)

Raw Talent, Student and Tutor exhibition, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester (2018)

Decorex International, Weaving demonstration for British Wool and Country Life Magazine, Syon Park, London (2017)

Cotswold Inspired , Cotswolds AONB Art Exhibition, Corinium Museum, Cirencester (2017)

Designer Crafts on the Mall, Society of Designer Craftsmen's members showcase, The Mall Galleries, London (2016)

Bradford Textile Society Design Competition Winners exhibition, The Dyehouse Gallery, Bradford (2014, 2015, 2016)

Cambrian Mountains International Wool Challenge, Aberystwyth, UK Touring exhibition of 25 designer/makers including in London for Fashion Week. (2015)

Bristol Cloth Design Competition, Winners Exhibition, Bristol (2015)

New Designers Show, selected Bath Spa University graduates, Islington, London (2015)

Campaign for Wool, 5th Anniversary Exhibition, Southwark Cathedral, London (2014)

EDUCATION

Bath Spa University BA(Hons) Textile Design for Fashion & Interiors, 1st class honours (July 2015)