Category Archives: Art Galleries

Shift : A change in direction.
Allusion: A suggestion or hint that calls something to mind without mentioning it.

Sue Stone Solo Exhibition ‘ Shifts & Allusions’ 2023

Venue: The Hub, Navigation Wharf, Carre Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7TW

formerly the National Centre for Craft and Design

Exhibition runs from14 January to 12th March 2023 in the ground floor gallery.

I have been busy sorting out the work to show in my Shifts & Allusions exhibition and in this exhibition I will be inviting you to find the stories behind my compositions and work out for yourself what they mean.

Most of my work contains a nod to my Grimsby heritage. The fish has become my signature and it often appears somewhere in my work. This exhibition includes a selection of larger narrative works made between 2013 and 2022, some of which haven’t been shown before. They are shown alongside some new smaller studies and a selection of tactile handling samples which show some of the techniques I have used in the finished pieces.

I will be giving a gallery talk at 2pm on Sat 18 February 2023 and a teaching a one day workshop at the Hub on Sunday 19 February

‘A Focus on Faces • an introduction to illustrative portraits

I am honoured and delighted to have had In Another Life and Another Time, Another Place selected for the Broderers exhibition The Art of Embroidery.

The exhibition will be held at Bankside Gallery, Thames Riverside,48 Hopton Street, London SE1 9JH and runs from 22 – 27 February 2022.

Opening hours Tue 22 – Sat 26 Feb 11:00-18:00 and Sun 27 Feb 11:00-17:00. Due to Covid 19 restrictions please check before traveling.

Free Admission

In Another Life 2021 continues a Grimsby Girl’s world tour with a stopover in Madrid . Size 48.5 x 59 cms • Hand/machine stitch with applied fabrics

Born in 1913 she was not able to travel during her lifetime and had very few opportunities in life to pursue her artistic and musical interests. She left school aged 13 and was apprenticed to a tailor. It was a hard life with no recognition of her skill as a seamstress. She loved singing and was a talented contralto. Here in another life, alongside her best friend she travels to Madrid to study music, dance and theatre.

Another Time, Another Place 2021 • Size: 48.5 x 59 cms

Hand/machine stitch/applied fabrics.

Born in a time when women had no right to vote and many left school at 13 or 14 years old. Ordinary women without opportunities to work after marriage or to travel abroad. Combining images of unknown people from the family album with images from the Alcázar Real in Seville, Spain; symbols of heritage combine with memories to make the composition and bring together an imagined journey to another time and place.

Retrospective – An Archive of Work from 2019

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Re-Tellings – a major solo exhibition by Grimsby based artist Sue Stone whose work is inspired by people, place and time. Hand embroidery plays a big part in Sue’s work sometimes mixed with machine stitch and/or paint and there are also some digital prints and new iPad drawings.

The pieces in this exhibition are part of an ongoing series of narratives inspired by memories; both the artist’s own and those of others. Members of the public were invited to take part by sharing memories of themselves and their relationships in the form of anecdotes, and images and Sue has now collected stories from all over the world.

A Family's Life 3 — A Family’s Life 3 – 2019 – mixed media

The common link in this particular selection of work is that of family and friendship. Many of the stories focus on relationships between family members; the bonds between siblings and cousins, mothers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren. But there are also tales of imagined journeys and that illusive dream of a Desert Island.

Detail of They Shared the knitting of the Jumper 2019

For the Desert Island 2019 – mixed media

A selection of smaller works for Re-Tellings

The exhibition also provided another outing for the epic chronicle of the artist’s own life story told in a series of self-portraits one for each year of the artist’s life so far. 66 in total . The 3 new self-portraits below made in 2019 bring the installation up to date.

self portrait no 66 — Self Portrait no 66 – of 66 self portraits 2019 – hand and machine stitch – 26 x 30 cms

Self Portrait no 65 – 2019 – hand and machine stitch – 26 x 30 cms

Self Portrait no 64 – 2019 hand and machine stitch

A Series of iPad drawings made for the Re-Tellings Exhibition 2019.

2 Old men sharing a Laugh inspired by a memory from Meg Kennedy

A Special Commission 2019 – Portrait of Jonah, Felix and Reuben

Featured in Embroidery – the Textile Art magazine

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Re-Tellings Exhibition and a review of my online course in conjunction with Textileartist.org Exploring texture & Pattern

Featured in Selvedge Magazine

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Selvedge Magazine January issue 86 Rennaisance

I am delighted that my work will be featured in the January issue of Selvedge magazine.

A detail of my work From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond is part of the article Text-ile Messaging by Doctor Nicola Donovan.

The magazine is due to be published on December 14th.
Buy your copy here

Detail of 'From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond' panel 4 of 9

If you’d rather see it ‘in the flesh’ then head off to Sleaford for the 62 Group Ctrl/Shift exhibition where it will be shown in the main gallery at the National Centre for Craft & Design from 2 February to 22 April 2019.

Inspired by a visit to Greenpoint, Brooklyn the emphasis in this piece shifts slightly away from people, and towards place and contains a multitude of references from a specific place, New York and a specific time period 21/12/16 to 3/01/17.

A new approach and a move away from control in the design process meant the work evolved and had several incarnations during the making process rather than being pre-planned.

Ctrl/Shift is going on Tour

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I’m delighted to announce that the 62 Group exhibition Ctrl/Shift will be touring next year.

First stop is the National Centre for Craft and Design where the exhibition will be shown in the main gallery space from 2 February to 22 April 2019. More venues will be coming later.

So if you missed seeing my work ‘From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond in Birmingham why not try and catch it a NCCD, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

Details of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond by Sue Stone.

Photos by Yeshen Venema.

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond – photo Yeshen Venema

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

Ctrl / Shift
New Directions in Textile Art
2 Feb – 22 Apr 2019
Main Gallery, NCCD, Sleaford, Lincs, UK
The creative tension between accomplished skill, experimentation and the development of new ideas, provides the starting point for Ctrl/Shift, the latest exhibition from The 62 Group of Textile Artists. The exhibition enables participating artists to explore projects which manifest as transformations in their practice. Ctrl/Shift takes shifts and changes as its theme; in particular it is centred on artists whose practice is or has transformed, in small or large ways, especially towards expressions of innovation in textile art. These shifts may be around changing attitudes to control; the introduction of new materials and techniques; and/or the impact of innovative and contemporary themes and ideas, and evolving technologies.

The exhibition comprises over thirty artworks by twentyfive artists, including carefully selected outcomes from a collaboration between three artists who reflected on and were inspired by each other’s work.

The exhibition concept has been developed in partnership with the 62 Group and independent curator Liz Cooper.

The 62 Group is an artist-led organisation which aims to incorporate and challenge the boundaries of textile practice through an ambitious and innovative annual programme of exhibitions and events. Since its establishment in 1962 some of the most highly regarded British & international textile artists have been members of the group.

The artists are (UK unless otherwise noted):

Imogen Aust, Caroline Bartlett, Heather Belcher
Eszter Bornemisza (Hungary), Lucy Brown, Penny Burnfield
Nigel Cheney, Daisy Collingridge, Isobel Currie
Flox den Hartog Jager (Netherlands), Catherine Dormor, Dawn Dupree
Caren Garfen, Emily Jo Gibbs, Ann Goddard
Joanna Kinnersly-Taylor, Hannah Lamb, Debbie Lyddon
Jae Maries, Sian Martin, Jane McKeating
Sumi Perera (Sri Lanka/UK), Shuna Rendel, Vanessa Rolf
Sue Stone

More Details of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

Photos by Yeshen Venema.

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint and Beyond 2018 – photo by Yeshen Venema

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond

Ctrl/Shift

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The next 62 Group exhibition ‘Ctrl/Shift’ opens on 21 July 2018 and I am delighted that my work ‘From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond’ has been selected to be shown at MAC, Birmingham.

The exhibition is grouped into four main thematic areas but could equally have been split many other ways. There is also a Project Space in which samples, tools, photos, short films and other materials will shed some light on the making process. We hope that the works will delight, provoke, entertain and educate; and inspire others to explore this most powerful of media, textiles.

The exhibition concept has been developed in partnership with the 62 Group and independent curator Liz Cooper.

The exhibiting artists are:

Imogen Aust, Caroline Bartlett, Heather Belcher, Eszter Bornemisza, Lucy Brown, Penny Burnfield, Nigel Cheney, Daisy Collingridge, Isobel Currie, Flox den Hartog Jager, Catherine Dormor, Dawn Dupree, Caren Garfen, Emily Jo Gibbs, Ann Goddard, Joanna Kinnersly-Taylor, Hannah Lamb, Debbie Lyddon, Sîan Martin, Jane McKeating, Sumi Perera, Shuna Rendel, Vanessa Rolf, and Sue Stone

The Ctrl/Shift Private view is on Saturday 21 July at the MAC and I have attached an invitation, with details, as you are all welcome to come and celebrate the opening with us and to meet some of the artists. Admission is free but booking is essential. Book Here

Remember Me? 24 March to 15 July 2018

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Sue Stone: Remember Me?

FISHING HERITAGE CENTRE, Alexandra Dock, Grimsby, N E Lincolnshire, DN32 0RA,UK

Tel: 01472 323345

My retrospective mixed media and textiles exhibition opens on 24 March 2018 at 11 am and includes work inspired by personal relationships, life observations and a pride in my Grimsby heritage. Follow the journey from my first ever figurative piece ‘The Wedding’ made in 2006, to my most recent work made in 2018.

A few images below of work included in the exhibition to whet your appetite.

Detail of From Grimsby to Greenpoint and Beyond 2018 – photo by Yeshen Venema

63:63 – 2016

Pop Stone * Family Tree 2016

The Unknown Statistic 2014 – photo by David Ramkalawon

RIP Grimsby St E2 – 2012

Exhibition Dates: 24 March to 15 July 2018

Opening Times: (24 March to 31 March) Tuesday to Friday 10 am – 4 pm (Closed Mondays) Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm (including bank holidays)
(1 April to 15 July) Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 5 pm (Closed Mondays)
Bank holiday Mondays open 10 am – 5 pm

Exhibition Opening Saturday 24 March 11am to 1pm Light refreshments available.

Exhibition Walking Tour – Saturday 24 March at 2pm
Join artist Sue Stone in conversation with Alf Ludlam for a walking tour of Sue’s solo mixed media textile exhibition ‘Remember Me?’
The event is free but numbers are limited.
Please book by calling the Fishing Heritage Centre on 01472 323345.

image of Portrait of a Grimsby Girl 2014

Portrait of a Grimsby Girl 2014 – photo David Ramkalawon

Some Things Never Change 2012

Woman with a Fish 2009 – photo by Steve Thornton

Closed 2008

East End Chair 2007

The Wedding 2006 photo by Steve Thornton

Fred and Harry on the Pontoon • 60 x 46 cms

Bathing Belles 2009 photo by Steve Thornton

Skipper Johannes Hansen 2009 • 40 x 46 cms

From Grimsby to Greenpoint and Beyond

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‘From Grimsby to Greenpoint and Beyond’ has been selected for the 62 Group exhibition ‘Ctrl/Shift’ which will open at MAC, Birmingham on 21 July and runs until 9 September. The piece is made up of 9 sections measures 175 x 123 cms when assembled.
Materials :Linen/recycled clothing fabrics,cotton threads, InkTense pencils,acrylic paint
Techniques: Hand and machine stitch.appliqué, piecing, drawing, painting

Details of ‘From Grimsby to Greenpoint & Beyond’ photos by Yeshen Venema

A visit to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York sparked the idea for this work in which the emphasis shifts slightly away from people, and towards place, a specific place, New York and a snapshot of a specific time period 21/12/16 to 3/01/17. Another small shift is in the use of materials, black thread was used abundantly in this piece this is a new departure as was the use of Derwent InkTense pencils to draw and colour the background fabric.
A new approach, an attempt to capture a new energy in the work and a move away from control in the design process meant the work evolved and has had several incarnations during the making process rather than being pre-planned.
There are a multitude of references in this work; to the atmosphere and fast pace of New York City to the areas and places visited and to great beer, coffee and food consumed. Also referenced are a selection of the many street artists in Greenpoint and Bushwick including Faille, a Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration between Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller and there’s tribute paid to particular artworks, ‘Jawbone of an Ass’ by Jean-Michel Basquiat and ‘The Mermaid’ a sculpture by Liz Craft at the Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan.