WAFTA AWARDS

WAFTA was established on the premise that the organisation must embrace all levels of practice. Two of the objectives included in the founding documents were to encourage the highest standards of design and craftsmanship in the fibre and textile arts and to facilitate and encourage the transition from student to practitioner to professional within the fibre and textile field.

As part of the process of continuing to encourage this development, for the 25th Anniversary juried exhibition, the first Textile Art Awards were presented.

These awards are non acquisitive and come with a monetary prize.

Photography: Abigail Harman

STUDENT AWARD
Molly Ryan
Memories: Assemblages of Scraps

– View Artist’s page –

JURORS COMMENTS: Molly’s ‘Memories: Assemblage of Scraps’ is an ambitious and highly detailed work. It is striking in terms of its use of colour, texture, and form.

It matches techniques – such as freehand stitching and natural dyeing – to concept to create an impactful work about the fragmentation of memory.
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MAKER AWARD
Jayne Argent
Where Do We Record Our History

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JURORS COMMENTS: The work compels us to consider the relationships between source material, memory, histories and object. These beautifully executed books defy categorisation leaving viewers to simply enjoy the results.

PROFESSIONAL AWARD
Susie Vickery
Pride

– View Artist’s page –

JURORS COMMENTS: Here is a master at work. ‘Pride’ is a portrait full of humanity, history and character. The work utilises a lyricism in the drawing, use of found objects and careful selection of fabrics to pay homage to the work of the tailor and HIV activist Jonathon Blake.
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