However, we wanted to make sure that the artwork in question would have a clear link to Calverley Old Hall, and the surrounding communities.
With Bradford and Leeds historically having been major players in the textile industry, it seemed a perfect fit therefore when Landmark had the opportunity to work with local weaver Agnis Smallwood to create a woven piece of work inspired by Calverley Old Hall.
In October and November 2022, we ran a series of 6 design workshops at Calverley Old Hall, where participants from various groups across Leeds and Bradford were able to experience Calverley and use photographs, tiles, old wallpaper and even archaeological items recovered from the building to inspire six unique designs, each with different weave structures, colours and textures.
Read Agnis’ blog about the project
Each group was asked to write down in their own words a few lines detailing the inspiration behind their design, and some notes that they would like the weavers to consider when producing the piece. Read on for further details of each design, and the inspirations behind them.
Design 1
Designed by: Calverley sewing group Sew Together
Inspiration: Wallpapers and paint colours of the old cottages and creeping ivy in the weft, with layered brickwork and stonework in the warp.
Description: 'From the vibrant colours in the kingfisher wallpaper to the orange brickwork the old worn building is looking forward to a bright future. Light to dark tones of green merge their way from the outside to inside of the stonework.'
Design 2
Designed by: members of Millside Centre Art Group, Bradford
Inspiration: Pastel blues and greens from the peeling cottage paintwork in the warp, with the addition of the brickwork and stonework in the weft.
Description: 'The design chosen was by one of our youngest members of our group, aged 9, which is mainly women. We like that their design has been chosen because they are the future- a weaver of the future. We have chosen colours which represent peace because we are a peaceful, friendly and unique group who meet at The Millside Centre, Bradford every Saturday morning.'
Design 3
Designed by: an open, public group
Inspiration: Timber of the chapel roof structure, lines visible in the shaping of the beams and colours from the painted chamber.
Description: 'We were very drawn to the roof structure in the Chapel, especially the diagonals in the structure to influence the twill design. The colour inspiration came from the 16th century wall design. The colour inspiration came from the 16th century wall paintings hidden behind the plaster of the parlour block. For such a stunning and historically important discovery we felt that it really needed to be showcased.'
Design 4
Designed by: a ‘family friendly’ public group
Inspiration: The warp design was based on areas of narrow tile and mortar, whilst the weft uses the ‘meet and separate’ technique in the weft to represent the different areas in the building where brickwork and stonework meet, sometimes in straight lines, sometimes more irregular, with blue representing the patches of old paintwork.
Description: 'Ancient wood grain meets old stone and faded bricks, with patches of old blue paintwork.'
Design 5
Designed by: members of the Cactus Crew and TIBSOBs
Inspiration: A timeline of Calverley Old Hall in the warp, from its stone-built origins, through additions and changes represented by brown and terracotta, to the fire in the late 20th century and its rebuilding and green future. The weft is designed to represent the lime plaster and stonework in the building.
Description: 'Grey to embrace the bricks and stones of the building. Then we went for light brown, it represents the wood on the ceilings/beams and wood work. The stone/brick colour represents the brick work as they changed the building. The red is to indicate the fire, the black is the charring from the fire. The brick red is to show how they fixed the building after the fire. The blue is for the old cottages when they were decorated. The photo of the 1981 garden is why we chose green, it’s a lasting feature. White is because we don’t know what will happen next, the new adventure, new beginnings, as well as a nod to the white lime washing in the plans for how the building will be.'
Design 6
Designed by: members of the Calverley Art Group
Inspiration: Grey stonework, blue from the paint in the cottages, terracotta brickwork. Used lines of the grey and terracotta in more regular patterns to represent the different materials within the Solar, used alongside one another.
Description: 'Colours to suit stonework as a reminder of the original. As we gained experience of weaving we decided on a feasible option for the weave structure.'
Below is a list of those who were involved in the project:
Design Group 1:Yazvry Goodrham, Kayleigh Mitchell, Sharron Mitchell, Pamela Gelder, Jo Jackson, Janice Wedgwood, Francesca Calzado, Caterina Beresford, Nidia Veitch, Angela Wood
Design Group 2: Dianne Venus Carter, Ruby Darrington, Cavell Darrington, Ruth Fettis, Eliana Maynou, Anupama Anish, Niharka Krishina, Judith Perry, Matthew Bartey, Kahinaat Sajid, Sajida Ramzan
Design Group 3: Paul Elkington, Trina Elkington, Fiona Gell, Sue Burton
Design Group 4: Lydia Rain, Jo Holohan, Giada Dambra, Massimiliano Belli, Noelle Belli-Dambra
Design Group 5: Tili-etta Fawcett, Tom Dobbie, Elliott Wilkinson, Nicola Murray, Marie Millward
Design Group 6: Deanne Richards, Kathryn Eastwood, Susan Green, Margaret Corker, Pauline Chadwick, Janet Sladdin, Janet Scarfe, Janet Bramley, Constance Preston, Rita Butler
Weaving Group 1: Fiona Gell, Patricia Elliott
Weaving Group 2: Sarah Wade, Andy Wade, Christine Parker - Jones, Sue Burton
Weaving Group 3: Lorna Jewitt, Lorna Muir, Vanessa Thorpe, Alix Brodie-Wray, Wendy Adams, Sarah Sutcliffe
Weaving Group 4: Janet Gourley, Julie Glanville, Angie Smiles Bewdillon, Liz Rushton, Jan Curnyn, Marion Fitzgerald, Marion Lawson
Weaving Group 5: Alaina Dunne, Jo Reilly
Weaving Group 6: Matthew Bartey, Ruth Fettis, Pav Sembi, Safah Anum, Sajida Rahzan, Eliana Maynao, Dianne Carter, Judith Perry
Weaving Group 7: Pamela Gelder, Sharron Mitchell, Kayleigh Mitchell, Lorna Muir, Barbara Hunter, Janice Wedgwood, Sarah Henderson, Yazury Goodrham, Angela Wood, Nidia Veitch, Francesca Calzado, Lorena Jordan Minero
Weaving Group 8: Marie Millward, Pauline Squires, Eva Murray, Nicola Murray
Weaving Group 9: Cactus Crew Second Session
Weaving Group 10: Laura Mann, Abi Kearns, Jason Noon, Layne Hewitt, Jay Cook, Ethan Wood, Zoe Snart, (one student didn’t want to leave name), (further staff also didn’t leave names)
Weaving Group 11: Izzi Stannett, Lydia Rain, Julie Palfreeman
Weaving Group 12: Gill Haynes, Rachel Vernelle, David Burton, Sue Burton, Susan Timbein, Fiz Pimperton
Weaving Group 13: Rita Butler, Janet Bramley, Janet Sladdin, Susan Paley, Deirdre McLean, Constance Preston, Janet Scarfe, Kathryn Eastwood, Deanne Jane Richards
Weaving Group 14: Inez Hein, Martin Lee
Weaving Group 15: Margaret Roberts, Marina Visockiene, Trish Smith, Vanessa Plews, Alison McMaster, Irene Hardy
Weaving Group 16: Paul Elkington, Trina Elkington, Hannah Meekings, John Rayner, Diane Ketteringham, Ida Prabawati (Gektut), David Fox, Andrew Wilson
Weaving Group 17: J. Cook, Daisy Bradshaw, Layne Hewitt, Jason Noon, Claire Hawker, Georgia Taylor, Janet Vinci, Alice Cuthbertson, Zoe Snart
Weaving Group 18: Nicola Garvey, Trina Elkington, Jacquie Smith, Clare Chapman, Emmy Yeadon, Ann Voss, Julie Waring
Weaving Group 19: Martin Lee, Jo Reilly
Weaving Group 20: Eilidh Gilmour, Sue Kent, Martin Lee, James Nottingham, Sarah Sutcliffe, Kate Oldfield
Additional Participants: Hannah Thompson, Agnis Smallwood
Turned weaving into hangings: Hayley Mills-Styles