Deirdre Wood: weaver and dyer
Deirdre Wood is a hand weaver and dyer, working in Winchester in Hampshire. Since the 1990s Deirdre has developed the ancient technique of narrow strip-weaving to create abstract architectural textiles for exhibition and commission. Often many yards of narrow woven cloth are twisted and turned before being joined by sewing to make three dimensional wall-hangings. Sometimes the long narrow fabric is cut into sections before sewing, or the complete warp may be used to make triangles, rectangles diamonds and squares. More recently Deirdre has devised a novel technique that produces long, curved woven strips. This entirely new approach to weaving exploits the contrasting properties of linen and silk to create rings and discs. Although the cloth is woven straight, it becomes dramatically curved when cut from the loom and treated with finishing processes.

Biography
Deirdre Wood trained originally as potter and in her early career helped her husband Nigel Wood with the running of Meon Pottery, in Hampshire. However, textiles and in particular strip-weaving remained a long-standing fascination. When the opportunity arose, Deirdre studied for a degree in woven textiles at the West Surrey College of Art Design (1992–5). While a student at Farnham Deirdre won the Clothworker’s Foundation Travel Award from the Royal Society of Arts. In 1996, with the help of this award, she travelled to Mali, West Africa to study the traditional strip woven fabrics of the region – particularly the beautiful and exciting Bogolanfini and indigo clothes produced by the Bamana and Dogon tribespeople. This field trip to West Africa has remained a continuing source of inspiration. More recently, in 2013, Deirdre was one of three textile artists selected to represent the UK at the 14th International Triennial of Tapestry held in Lodz, Poland. Also in 2013 Deirdre was the winner of the Peter Collingwood Trust Award for innovation in weaving, particularly for her circular narrow-strip textiles.

Training
1992–5 West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham:
BA (Hons) Woven textiles

1968–9 Farnham School of Art: Vocational Pottery Course

Solo exhibitions
2012–13 Royal Society of Arts, London. Display of Circular Woven Rings.

2006 Beyond the Straight and Narrow. Hove Museum and Art Gallery, Sussex.

2005 Straight and Narrow. The Crafts Study Centre, Farnham, Surrey.

2004 Straight and Narrow. The Hub, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

2003 Tapestry – but not as we know it. Gosport Museum & Gallery, Hampshire.

2002–3 Riches from Rags. Havant Museum, Hampshire.

Selected group exhibitions
2013 14th International Triennial of Tapestry, Central Museum of Textiles, Lodz, Poland.

2009 Focus Exhibition. Contemporary Applied Arts, London.

2009 Joined Together. (with Jonathan Garratt and Nick Barberton) Salisbury Arts Centre.

2001 Acknowledged Sources (with Magdalena Odundo and Steve Wright). Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth.

2000 Twist and Turn. Atrium Gallery, Bournemouth University.

1999 Southern Craftmakers – an exhibition curated by Margot Coatts. Beatrice Royal Contemporary Art & Craft, Quay Arts, Newport, Isle of Wight.

Work in Public collections
Central Museum of Textiles, Lodz, Poland

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Brighton and Hove Museums

Hampshire County Council Museums & Archives Service

Awards
2013 Winner of the Peter Collingwood Trust Award

2008 Theo Moorman Trust

2005 Arts Council England

2003 Arts Council England

2001 Year of the Artist

1999 Bursary from Southern Arts

1996 Textile Award from the David Canter Memorial Fund

1995 Royal Society of Arts. Winner of the Clothworker’s Foundation Travel Award

Professional affiliations
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

Crafts Council Index of Selected Makers

Member of Contemporary Applied Arts

Publications
Deirdre’s work is illustrated and discussed in:

2014 Shenton, Jan. Woven Textile Design. Lawrence King Publishing Ltd. (in press)

2013 Schoeser, Mary. Textilien: Handwerk und Kunst. Pub. DuMont Buchverlag GmbH. ISBN-13: 978-3832194710

2013 Schoeser, Mary. L’art des couleurs et de la forme. Pub. Flammarion. ISBN-13: 978-2081306196

2013 Norbert, Zawisza, Ed. 14th International Triennial of Tapestry Catalogue, Poland. ISBN 978-83-60146-38-5

2012 Schoeser, Mary. Textiles: The Art of Mankind. Thames and Hudson. pp.209. ISBN: 978-0-500-51645-4

2012 Richards, Ann. Weaving Textiles That Shape Themselves. Crowood Press. pp.56, 159. ISBN 978 1 84797 319 1

2006 Harper, Dr Catherine. Crafts Magazine. pp 58–9, Vol 198, January/February.

2005 Whiting, David. Deirdre Wood: Straight and Narrow. Crafts Study Centre. ISBN 0-9951166-0-0

2003 Ediss, Tina. The Lady Magazine. pp 46–7, Vol.224, No.6149.

2003 Wood, Nigel. Tapestry – but not as we know it. ISBN 1859 75 7189

1998 Editor Peta Levy. New British Design. pp119. Pub. Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 1 840 00099 6