Textile students at Hartlepool's Northern School of Art draw inspiration from leading artists and designers

Jayne Hemmins, Programme Leader of the Textile Design degree programme at The Northern School of Art Credit The Northern School of Art Russ Norman

They shared their experiences and provided insights about the importance of drawing in textile design at a skills-focused symposium to students of the college's textile design department.

The day-long event featured a range of high profile speakers including former students Maria Cooper, senior print designer at homeware designer Orla Kiely, and artist and designer Claire Barrow, whose hand-painted leather jackets have featured in Vogue and been worn by singer Rhianna.

Right - Left: Alex Sickling and Textile design lecturer Julie Marshall at the exhibition of images by textile design students and staff at The Northern School of Art.
Picture by Ashleigh Readman — Right - Left: Alex Sickling and Textile design lecturer Julie Marshall at the exhibition of images by textile design students and staff at The Northern School of Art. Picture by Ashleigh Readman

Maria, who graduated from the school in 2004 and progressed to the Royal College of Art has also worked for high street chain H&M and fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.

She said: “I like coming back as it’s good to encourage the new generation of textile designers and keep interest in the discipline going, it’s an important industry.

“I also remember how great it was when a guest from industry came in when I was a student, and how valuable hearing about their experience was. It’s nice to give something back to the university that helped me on my way.”

Illustrator and ceramicist Alex Sickling, from Gateshead, whose work is sold across the UK and in the USA, told students that they don’t necessarily have to move to London to succeed.

An exhibition of work produced by students and staff using a wide range of media and techniques is on public view at the Northern School of Art in Hartlepool.

She said: “I was very keen to stay in the north east so I started selling at markets in London and then returning home. I am also able to sell my work across the world from my website."

Final year student Ali Wilkes loved the event saying: "“It was so diverse and it opened up my mind to new ways of drawing and generating images.”

The symposium was the culmination of six months of work by the school's BA (Hons) Textiles & Surface Design programme staff.

It ended with a viewing of an exhibition of work produced by students and staff since September which is now open to the public to see at the school's premises at 1 Church Street.

Ali Wilkes Level 6 Textile Design student at The Northern School of Art. Photo by Russ Norman.

Programme leader Jayne Hemmins said: "The symposium and exhibition have provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diversity of image generation and explore the possibilities of what that can mean.”

The exhibition is on until Thursday February 28, from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm.