Textile Design - by Jilli Blackwood, textile artist
| Glaswegian Jilli Blackwood studied embroidery and textiles at the Glasgow School of Art from 1982 to 1986. She is now a leading contemporary kilt maker with international acclaim. Glasgow School of Art (GSA) was a marvellous place to study in the 1980s. It was when the New ‘Glasgow Boys’ – Adrian Wiszniewski, Stephen Campbell, Ken Currie and Peter Howson – were making an impact on the international art scene and they attracted a great deal of well-deserved attention. The Glasgow School of Art has always had a great reputation and as a city, Glasgow has produced a wealth of artistic talent. People came to Glasgow from all over the world, including Stephen Conroy, Jenny Saville and Alison Watt. Respected American painter Noah Saterstron, even honed his talents on the Glasgow School of Art’s MA course! After I graduated famous dressmaker Jean Muir offered me a job in London, but I turned it down because I wanted to stay in Glasgow. I love it here; the city is an inspiration to me. | I live and work in Glasgow’s West End, which is very creative and bohemian; it is full of pockets of artistic talent in a range of disciplines, from art to music. Visitors to Glasgow frequently say how green Glasgow is; sometimes it takes outsiders to open our eyes to how fantastic the city really is. Taking part in Tartan Week in New York made me appreciate what it means to be Glaswegian and how proud I am of my city. The West of Scotland has a long tradition in textiles, and this is particularly true for Glasgow. The GSA ignites real enthusiasm in its students and encourages people to work hard. It has a history of graduates that have gone on to do great things and I am confident that the textile scene in Glasgow can only go from strength to strength. www.jilliblackwood.co.uk |