Jane Stephens

Weaver and Textile artist

I have always had an interest in textiles—ranging from printing, embroidery and hand-dyeing to sewing and fabric manipulation. Upon starting my retirement, I moved to Cornwall, where I pursued and completed a BA (Hons) in Textile Design. Initially planning to focus on printed textiles, I unexpectedly found myself sitting in front of a loom for a trial and was completely hooked! Five looms and a house move later to accommodate them all, my enthusiasm for weaving as an art form remains undiminished.

 

My current research delves into the process of storytelling through weave. This allows me to integrate my earlier career as a psychotherapist with my passion for woven art forms. One area of exploration is weaving stories into books, for which I am currently using mainly paper yarns—echoing the conventional format used for recording stories.

 

The constant challenges of pushing the boundaries of the loom—both technically and creatively—alternate with the pure pleasure of weaving a piece of cloth. Many of my weaves employ a process of weaving multiple layers from a single warp, enabling me to construct 3 -dimensional structures without the need for stitching or manipulation.

 

My interest in sustainable practices informs much of my work. Currently, I work mainly with paper yarns, and am exploring the manufacture of yarn from locally sourced plants such as nettle and seaweed.

 

Occasionally, I work on commission. If you have a particular item that you would like woven, including art work, please contact me—I would be interested in having a chat.