World class exhibition on show at Farfield Mill (From The Westmorland Gazette)

World class exhibition on show at Farfield Mill

8:50am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Leisure By Adrian Mullen, Arts correspondent

FARFIELD Mill has kicked off the New Year in terrific style with a world class exhibition and plenty more exciting events woven into its 2012 programme.

The Sedbergh arts and heritage centre hosts an international touring show of felt textile art on the theme The Climate is Changing!

The organisers, the International Feltmakers’ Association, which was founded Lakeland legend Mary Burkett, former director of Abbot Hall, received a total of 172 entries for the exhibition from some of the world’s leading artists in the feltmaking field.

The final 50 were selected by jury and represent participants from Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Romania.

And Mary will be on hand on Saturday (February 4) between 2pm-4pm to meet some of the artists and sign copies of three of her books: The Art of the Feltmaker, A Softer Landscape the life and work of Jenny Cowern, and her most recent, Dear Mary, love Percy, a collection of the illustrated letters which artist Percy Kelly sent to Mary over many years.

Farfield chairman Anne Pierson explained that Mary’s presence at the exhibition was really important.

She added: “Not only because Mary is the world expert in this art form, but because I’m delighted to have persuaded her to consider establishing an annual travel bursary for outstanding textile students, in her name. It would be a lasting tribute to Mary’s commitment to excellence in art and textiles and the unstinting support she has given to Cumbrian artists over so many years.

The exhibition runs until Sunday, March 25.

The work in The Climate is Changing! ranges from mixed media art works to installations, and is a truly original, vibrant response - quirky, funny and thought-provoking - to one of the most pressing issues facing the world today.

Nostalgia, protest, awareness, concern for the present and the future of humanity are all communicated through the infinite forms and colours of felt. There is huge variety in the work: Diane Gonthier’s (Canada) three-metre floor piece Learning to Care encourages the viewer to care for the earth with the same love they might devote to a person. The Last Jump, 50 large frogs, highlights the fragility of many species, while Liz Emery’s (UK) Undeterred, a portrait of her daughter, soaking wet and windswept, but still smiling, suggests that children may be the way to take the world forward, in a positive and informed way.

The exhibition should put Farfield firmly in the textile spotlight and reaffirms its huge potential as a major player in the arts world.

“Farfield Mill’s three galleries now represent the largest exhibition space in South Lakeland and beyond – apart from Abbot Hall, of course,” Anne continued.

Anne also pointed out that creative director Elizabeth Eaton had worked incredibly hard to bring together 18 exhibitions for the coming year of real quality and diversity, The Climate is Changing! setting the standard.

Meanwhile, the Coppice Association takes over the entire centre for the month of April with Working Woodlands, a major exhibition, which includes work by Cumbrian arts heavyweights artists Fiona Clucas and Martin Greenland, displays, demonstrations and workshops for all age groups celebrating green wood craftsmanship.

And later, in September there’s the 50th anniversary exhibition of the 62 Group of textile artists with an established international reputation for exceptional quality.

Farfield Mill winter opening hours are 11am-4pm.

The popular cafe is open from 10.30am.