BA (Hons) Embroidered Textiles & 'Friends' Shawl

I've been very busy this past week working at finishing off this semester's module for my BA(Hons) studies. This semester I did Professional Practice, a practical module that sets me up to run the business side of my art practice so I will hit the ground running straight after I graduate.
This year there has been a change in the school that runs the programme. Julia and Alex Caprara set the school up and ran it as co-principals - Opus School of Stitched Textiles. After Julia died last year, Alex decided to close the school. That's when Winy Smit-Vuijk and Sandra Flower picked up the BA(Hons) part and formed the Julia Caprara School of Textile Arts. Thanks to them our studies weren't interrupted.


I found this lovely woven shawl in a thrift store. I Googled the words on the label but haven't been able to find out anything about the company.

If you recognise this label or know anything about the company, could you please contact me, ravenmade@gmail.com

Louise Bourgeious

Don't Abandon Me
Another artist I looked at in my essay was Louise Bourgeois. A vital part of her human form sculptures in cloth is they are made from her own garments. This is self psychoanalysis.
She is an amazing role model, producing several shows of new work each year. She will be 98 this year.

Snow Snow Snow

Calgary had its first big dump of snow yesterday.

I took a break from writing my essay to go outside

and enjoy the tranquil beauty in our back yard.
Now back to my essay.

Maggie's Interview with Julia Caprara

I have just reread the interview Maggi Grey did with Julia Caprara in her Workshop on the Web e-zine, May 2007. It is such a good interview. You can hear Julia's enthusiasm and zest for life as she talks.

It hints at all of the things Julia was involved in. The background of her and her husband, Alex's setting up of the Opus School of Textile Arts is most interesting. With Julia's typically gentle spirit what doesn't come across is the influence she and Alex have had on the lives of literally hundreds and hundreds of textile students over the years.

A valuable section of the interview is where Maggie asks Julia to explain how she goes about curating and hanging the huge annual Prism exhibition in the Mall Galleries in London. Maggie is right, Julia's answer was inspirational to anyone involved in displaying art work.
Thanks Maggie for this lovely memory of Julia.

These images for Julia are from a trip I made to India, earlier this year. If you would like to see more, click on Lesley's Galleries at the top right to get into my public web albums.