SueSanna Russell
I spent my childhood in the Swiss Countryside between my grandparents farm and fathers mechanical business. At 22, I left Switzerland on my motorbike for some fresh air and new challenges via England to Ireland. Here, I married a shepherd and raised three children on a little island off the south west coast. We cut turf, repaired ruins, kept gardens, went fishing and built up a little ‘cottage industry’ spinning, felting, knitting and weaving.
The next phases took us on the road, entertaining the public with street shows and then onto the high sea on sailing boats, chartering in the Caribbean. In 1992 we settled in Carriacou, Grenada, where the children finished school and we built the "Round House", a restaurant with cottages.
In the year 2000 we followed the children back to England. We repaired old working boats and supplied the Thames and London Canals with coal, fuel and firewood. Separated from my husband,besides this I continued my textile activities by giving workshops and exhibitions on the “Wool-n-Boat” in the UK and Switzerland,where I got involved with the “Pianta Monda” Ecovillage and the “Negozio Valmaggese”, a local product shop, where I sell my creations and organize workshops.
After following my threads all over the world they come together in this "Wool-n-Dance" Project. It makes me happy to refresh old traditions in new trends and inspire people to take up craftwork and develop their creativity.
Barley Massey
Barley Massey graduated from Goldsmith's College BA Textiles in 1995. Subsequently she worked on numerous projects in Film, TV and theatre. In 2000 Barley transformed a disused shop on Broadway Market in Hackney, East London - setting up her own studio, gallery / shop fabrications.
Since opening it's doors, Fabrications and Barley's textile journey has been very eclectic and the studio is proud to now boast a many stranded yet interwoven approach to textiles and design!
Barley is building a reputation for her stylish eco interior furnishings made from waste sourced from local business which she sells at Fabrications and at a number of eco outlets. A personal commissioning service to individuals and other business and organizations is also offered.
Barley is also an experienced workshop leader passing on and revitalizing traditional textile skills such as weaving, knitting and sewing. Her inspiring workshops also demonstrate environmental or social concerns, which she runs at Fabrications and at various other venues and events.
Fabrications has become a mini department store of delights, currently selling work by over 30 different local artists, designers and suppliers, a meeting point for creativity and an evolving modern textile haven! Please call by or look at www.fabrications1.co.uk (including our new Blog!) for further information and some examples of work, commissions, projects and workshops.
UlRico Stamani
Born in 1941 in Zurich, the biggest town in Switzerland, I was fortunate to spend a part of my childhood and all my holidays on the countryside by my relatives: farmers and handcraft workers. After my studies I lived 25 years as a school teacher in the suburbs and was engaged in creative, artistic and cultural-social projects, but mostly inside buildings with artificial lights and materials.
At 50, I made the courageous step to simplify my life, to become more independent, self-sufficiency and closer to nature. In the southern part of Switzerland, the Maggia Valley, with the help of partners and friends, I started several projects: renovating very old ticinese houses, installing “Casa Antica”, a youth hostel, guesthouses “Pianta Monda”, an ecovillage / and the Negozio Valmaggese, a shop for local products.
More and more I came back to the ancient traditions of this abandoned wild valley: heating and cooking on fire, cutting the over grown bushes and trees, repairing terrace walls, gardening and, after having met Sue Sanna, textile handcrafts.
Our land, our life and our love is so rich when we begin to open our eyes and ears, we only have to thank, to take it and to work with, for others and for me, for today and future generations.
Katherine Grace
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Please get in contact: sue.russell@artserve.net
barley@fabrications1.co.uk