No Rules Member Spotlight - Anna Stanley

• What tempted you to join No Rules Textile Society?

  I had known about NRTS for a while through other textile friends. Then Jo joined and was so enthusiastic about it and what it offered that I decided to give it a go.

• Tell us a little about your work and background

  I come from a line of women who sewed, knitted, embroidered and gardened. My mother was a country girl, although she may not always of wished to admit it. She was very good at practical things and I was encouraged to sew and knit. I loved my paper-dressing dolls and like so many women of my age they allowed me to play. 

  I studied woven textiles after my foundation and first general year at Loughborough finishing in 1979. I had little idea of what I wanted or, was able to do. I spent some time sampling knitwear and did a little bit of informal teaching around machine knitting. However, through a series of happenchance, I went into nursing and remained working in various capacities for the NHS until I retired in 2016. 

  My intention had always been to return to a creative practice but it wasn’t possible whilst I was working and I didn't have time nor inclination to do anything other than domestic sewing, furnishings, clothes.

  Prior to retiring I joined Lichfield Embroiderers Guild and enjoyed the talks. I did several textile-based workshops and in 2006 I did a level 3 City and Guilds in hand embroidery. I was adding in printing classes up until Covid struck. 

  I had decided that art textiles might be the way forward for me as I didn’t know how the world of commercial textile sampling worked and there seemed to be more outlets for art textiles.

  I joined Midland Textile Forum in 2018 and continued to be part of Lichfield. Through COVID I also did a number of online courses with Karen Stamper and Sally Hirst. 

  Through Sally’s courses I realised how much I enjoyed printing, particularly on paper. Post Covid I did a course with Charles Sheria at Leicester Print works where I am now a member. 

  I love creating collagraph plates which takes me right back to my childhood when I spent hours cutting up and laying out stories on my bedroom floor. 

• Has your approach to textiles changed since joining?

  Yes and no, NRTS has given me access to a huge back catalogue of tools and techniques which I am still exploring. It has broadened my reach bringing new artists to follow, like -minded friends and I am always thrilled when I see bits of me on the Instagram reels.

  I am glad to see that NRTS is not just textiles. I think its interdisciplinary nature really makes the group unique.

  Joining has been totally positive, I have stitched more, printed more, mastered the gel plate and really love our weekly Zoom calls. I now have a big folder of jumping-off points.

  Over time I have realised that there are definite constants in my work. They are often, delicate, complex, transparent and worked in a particular colour pallet of muted tones. These are the things that I gravitate to and enjoy working with and on. 

• How do you uniquely use our membership?

  I am not sure I can answer this as I don’t know if I use the membership in a unique way! I would have to have more understanding of how others use it. 

  I am very happy to be part of NRTS and it has been a catalyst for a number of positive things for me personally. Since joining I have finally acquired a studio space at the end of our garden where I am happy to spend hours! 

  I realised that some of the things that I was doing had just become a substitute for work and I think a delaying tactic that stopped me from doing anything. Therefore I made a deliberate choice to step back from chairing and volunteering.

  I now guard my time as best I can so that I have studio time each week. Not sure that my friends like it but they have other toys to play with so that's fine!

  Keith, my husband, is very supportive of me which is hugely helpful. 

• What has been your favourite prompt?

  Loops and oddly marbling. Loops because it was quite directional but had lots of places to take it and marbling because I produced some really interesting work from it.  

  

• Do you have a piece, that you enjoyed creating the most?

  The embroidery that I created from the marbling which is really useful as it's a technique I want to use in my current pieces.

  

• Do you have a favourite fabric recipe/technique mix-up?

  I want to explore the use of print and stitch (Collagraph and applied stitch). It's a technique that I don’t see being done and I would like to see where I can take it. 

  Fabric is always tulle and fine gauze. I have not tried silk tulle yet but anything transparent is good.

• What is currently inspiring you/bringing you joy?

  I am still stuck on Teds Quilt, it is such a rich source of inspiration. It has history, legacy, pattern, texture the lot. I love the narrative of it as much as the physical cloth.

  What I feel that I need to do is move beyond the pattern and texture on which the current work is based. Not sure how this is going to happen or what the direction of travel will look like at present. I think it's being open to ideas as I work through the year.

• Where are you dreaming of going /being with your textiles?

  Odd fact. I kept my sketchbooks from art collage, they alone survived the many clearouts over the years. I think that I realised in some way that they represent the hope that I had in my life when I was just setting out. 

  So now my hope is to make time and to view my practice as a legitimate way of life. I am encouraged by people on NRTS who are doing just that. To be more brave and confident and to learn to talk about my work and ideas with confidence and not feel like an imposter. 

You can find more of Anna's work here

And if you are a member of No Rules Textile Society membership you can watch Anna's Member Spotlight video here