4 September 2013

National exhibition for textiles inspired by patterns of the countryside

Beautiful hand-printed textiles inspired by the Fife countryside and designed by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) lecturer Jane Keith, will next week go on display at a new solo show at the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.

'Linear Landscapes' will run from Monday, 9th September to Wednesday, 2nd October. The exhibition features a new range of work by Jane, who teaches on the undergraduate Textile Design programme at DJCAD as well as running her own textiles company.

She says her own designs are heavily influenced by the landscapes, seascapes, colour, and patterns visible from her studio in Balmerino. Sustainability is another feature of Jane's work and she makes extensive use of ethical and sustainable suppliers from the UK rather than taking advantage of cheaper materials and manufacturing overseas in order to reduce the carbon footprint of each product.

Her company, Jane Keith Designs, sells hand-printed textiles including silk ties, cashmere scarves and wall-hangings to an international customer base. Clients include television presenters Andrew Marr and Jon Snow, whose choice of brightly coloured ties is frequently commented upon.

Jane, herself a DJCAD graduate, has been a regular exhibitor at the Scottish Gallery since 1998, and the new show includes framed textile wall pieces, unique hand-painted scarves and shawls, printed skirts, ties, prints and accessories.

'The entire design process, ideas, drawings, development, fabric sampling, application of dyes and printing is an organic reflection of where I live, work and raise my family,' explained Jane. 'I see pattern everywhere I look - stripes, chevrons, dots, dashes, abstract composition, layer upon layer of repetition of marks and textured surfaces.

'The patterns of my surroundings, from ploughed fields, tractor trails, dried seed heads of wild flowers to rolling hills of crops and forests are frequently referenced in my work. With each season this shifts and evolves, continuing to supply never-ending possibilities of how pattern may be layered onto cloth.

'Our world depends upon sustainability, and we strive to integrate and nurture this concept as a way of life, avoiding short term disposability and its impact on our limited resources. The fabrics I use are hand-woven in local Scottish mills, while some manufacturing takes place in England, all with the highest attention to detail and finish. Using the highest quality base cloth makes a huge difference to the way in which it receives and conveys colour and pattern.'

More information about her upcoming exhibition is available at www.scottish-gallery.co.uk/exhibitions/page/linear_landscapes.

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