FIBRE.ART.WALES - artists


ALISON  MERCER - CV
 
1998-00 	Manchester Metropolitan University - M.A. Textiles
2000-02	University of Wales - P.G.C.E
1998-99	Manchester Metropolitan University - Post Graduate Diploma- Textiles
1985-98	Manchester Metropolitan University- B.A. (Commendation); Contemporary Craft 
2007	London college of Printing - Award in Design Book Structures
2006	Coleg Menai - Initial Certificate in Adult Learning  

 
Clinical Training:
2008     Substance Misuse Training Level 2
2008     Child Protection Strategy Level 2
2008     North Wales Perinatal strategy award
2008     NHS Wales Induction Training 

Awards: 
2008-10 SAFLE Research Award; Artist In Residence
2010     Wales Arts International Grant
2009     Embroiderers Guild Award; Finalist
2001     Welsh Artist of the Year; Craft
1996     European Embroidery Awards; Finalist 
1994     Welsh Fashion Awards; Finalist
1994     Cancer Research Campaign Card Design Competition; Finalist
1994     Bookworks; Glyn Vivian Gallery artists books prize; Commendation 
1990     Welsh Open Design Competition; Special Design Award
1989     The Lynnette De Denn Design for Embroidery Award
1988     The Royal Society of Arts Design Bursary; 1st prize jewellery section

Collections:
2010     Ceredigion Museum Public Collection
2010     Betsy Cadwaladr University Health Board Public collection
2010     Conwy Council Public collection
2007     Coleg Menai; Public Collection;
2006     Gwynedd Council Public Collection; Bangor museum and Art Gallery
1997     Cardiff Bay Arts Trust; Bute Town History and Art Centre, Cardiff

Commissions: 
2010      Welsh Arts Council; Arts In Health and Wellbeing Conference presentation
2010     `Surestart` Conwy Council and Betsy Cadwaladr Trust
2008-10 Betsy Cadwaladr Health Board; Community projects include Corun I Sawdl,  
            Baby Clinics in Benllech, Llanberis, Llanerchymedd, Surestart, Twf, SANDS, Outpatients   
            Clinics in Beaumaris, Dolgellau Birth Centre. CAMHS. In the hospital Transfer Lounge,       
            Paediatric clinic, Maternity ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd
2008     Llanfairpwll School ;Ynys Mon
2001- 02 Cardiff City Council;  Art In Schools project. Norweigian Church Cardiff Bay.
2001     Cardiff City Hall; Special schools commission
2000     Cardiff City Hall; Ifor Bach; commission.
1997     Wepre Country Park; FlintshireCommission 
1997     Ysgol Gyfyn Llangefni; Textile Commission. 
1997     Ysgol Llanddulas; Colwyn Bay  Textile Commission 

Exhibitions:
2011     Fiberart International;San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design; California.USA October-January
2011     Fiberart International; Memorial Art Gallery Rochester, New York USA April-July
2010     WAH Center, New York; Book Art Exhibition October 2010
2010     Buzzer 30 Gallery; Long Island City New York. `Curators` Raising Humans; September  
2010      Fiberart International; Pittsburgh Centre for Contemporary Craft and Pittsburgh, Center for the Arts Pittsburgh USA  April - August 2010
2010      Ruthin Library Arts Centre; Journeys FAW travelling exhibition January-March
2010      Beverley Museum and Art Gallery; Yorkshire; FAW Fibre Voices. March-May
2009      Ceredigion Museum and Art Gallery; FAW; Fibre Voices November/December
2009      National Eisteddfod, Art and Craft Pavilion Bala, North Wales (Selected exhibitor)
2009      Welsh Artist Of the Year (Selected exhibition) St Davids Hall Cardiff May-July 2009
2009      Green Mountain College Vermont USA  `Homelands` FAW October- December
2009      21st Century Stitchers, Riverside Gallery Town Hall Richmond 1st May- 21st July
             A selected exhibition profiling the most inventive talent today.
            Curated by the Embroiderers Guild
2009     Llantarnum Grange Arts Centre Cwmbran `Ffibr` Form and Fusion (selected Exhibition)
2009     Ucheldre Arts Centre Holyhead  Fibre Voices June/ July 2009 
            Fibre Art Wales 10 year Birthday exhibition
2009     Rhondda Heritage Park  FAW  `Journeys`     2009
2008-09 Fibre Essence Gallery, Vancouver `Through the Looking Glass` (Juried exhibition) Travelling Canada  until August 2009
2008     Bangor Museum and Art Gallery `Arts in Health and Wellbeing at Ysbyty Gwynedd` 
2008     Welsh Artist Of the Year (Selected exhibition) St Davids Hall Cardiff June 2008 
2008     Banbury Museum Art Gallery `Journeys`  Fibre Art Wales  2008
2008     World Trade Centre Boston USA  `Craft Boston` Selected exhibitor 
2007     Chelsea Designer Crafts; Chelsea Town Hall. London
2007     The John Holden Gallery; `Artists Books` Manchester
2006     Oriel Davies Open `Undercover` Selected exhibition
2005     Welsh Artist of the Year, Stuttgart, Germany
2005     Art and Craft Pavilion, National Eisteddfod, Bangor, North Wales
2005     ORIGINS - Fibre.Art.Wales, Crafts Council of Ireland National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny.  
2004-06 ORIGINS, F.A.W UK touring exhibition, The Knitting & Stitching Show, London
2004     'FIBRE.ART.WALES In IRELAND', Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern Ireland 
2004     'Celebrating Ten - Dethlu Deg', Minerva Arts Centre, Llanidloes, Mid Wales
2004-06 HOMELANDS, F.A.W UK touring exhibition
2001-05 Welsh Artist Of The Year.  St Davids Hall Cardiff
2001-03 'Fibre Visions', F.A.W UK touring exhibition
2001     Art Of The Stitch, The Mall Galleries, London
2000     The Righton Gallery, Manchester
1997     Euro Art Fair; Madrid, Spain
1997     European woman's Textile Exhibition; Bosjokloster Castle, Sweden
1996-04 The Knit and Stitch show, London, Dublin and Harrogate
1995     Centre Permanent D'Artesania, Barcelona, Spain
1995     Mexicana; Model House; South Wales
1994     Premier Collections; Paris, France
1994     Embroiders Guild exhibition; The Collins Gallery, Glasgow
1994     Art of the Stitch; Commonwealth Institute, London
1994     Festival D'ete, De Nantes; France
1990-98 The Devon Guild Of Craftsman
1993-98 The 62` Group Of Textile Artists.
1994-97 The Makers Guild In Wales
1994-97 New Fibre Art
1993-98 Design Gap; Harrogate Design Fair, NEC Gift Show, Top Drawer London
1990     Gawthorp Hall;  Embroiderers Guild Open Exhibition.
1988     The Royal Society of Arts Design Bursaries; London
1988     New Designers; London

Solo Exhibitions
2011     Ucheldre Arts Centre Holyhead;  June/ July 2011
2010     Bangor Museum and Art Gallery  `Creative Voices 2` April/June 2010 
2010     Galeri Caernarfon; `Fecund Thoughts`;  May/june 2010
2009     Senedd Welsh Assembly Cardiff   `Alison Mercer Artist In Residence;  
2009     Oriel Pendeitch ,Cearnarfon   `Creative Voices` Artist In Residence at Ysbyty Gwynedd 2009
2008     Alsager Gallery Manchester Met University  `Penetration`  
2006    `The Nightingale Sings For No-One But Herself` Bangor Museum; 
2006     Context Gallery; Cardiff Bay; 
2005     A Stitched Inheritance, Oriel Makers Gallery, Cardiff ; 
1993     Ruthin Craft Centre; Studio 8
1993     Rhyl Library Gallery

Publications: 
2010     Fiberart International; Exhibition of contemporary Fiber Art Catalogue
2010     Heads of the Valleys Public Art Working Group; Visual Culture of the Valleys
2010     Embroidery Magazine; March/April
2010     Welsh Arts Council; Welsh Assembly Cardiff; Arts in Health and Wellbeing strategy for  Wales; Contributed to document and conference.
2009     Fibre Art Wales; 10 ; Celebrating 10 years of FAW
2009     Embroidery Artist In Residence March/ April/ May/ June
2008     B.B.C. Small Film Project with Gwennan Pennant-Jones.
2008     Embroidery Review of Penetration May/June 
2008    `Tonic` NHS Wales Trust Magazine
2008     Embroidery;  anuary/ May/ June
2006     The Nightingale Sings; Alison Mercer Published Catalogue
2006     Undercover; Catalogue; Oriel Davies Gallery
2005     The Visit  I.T V 1 Wales 2005 
2005     Taliesin (summer)
2004     HOMELANDS, Fibre.Art.Wales, Publication 
1997     Artists Magazine;  Front cover Commission.  
1997     Let`s Look`  Relay publications art in the curriculum. Book and Commission
1988     Crafts;CraftsCouncilMagazine

Magazine articles/reviews include:
Artists Newsletter, Embroidery, Crafts, Taliesin, ETN newsletter, Pittsburgue Guild of Arts 

Residencies:
2010    Art Residency;  `Surestart` Conwy Council and Betsy Cadwaladr Trust
200810 Artist In Residence at Ysbyty Gwynedd; Community projects include Corun I Sawdl,  
           Baby Clinics in Benllech, Llanberis, Llanerchymedd, Surestart, Twf, SANDS, Outpatients   
           Clinics in Beaumaris, Dolgellau Birth Centre. CAMHS. In the hospital Transfer Lounge,       
            Peadiatric clinic, Maternity ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd
2008     Llanfairpwll School; Artist In Residence; 
2001-02Cardiff City Council; Residency and Commission; Art In Schools project. Norweigian Church Cardiff Bay.
2001     Cardiff City Hall; Special schools project and residency
2000     Cardiff City Hall; Ifor Bach; Residency and commission.
1997     Wepre Country Park; Commission and Residency; Flintshire
1997     Ysgol Gyfyn Llangefni; Textile Residency and Commission. 
1997     Ysgol Llanddulas; Colwyn Bay  Textile Residency and Commission 
1992     Garden Festival Wales; Artist In residence
1991-94 Artist in Residence; Ucheldre Centre Holyhead
1992-08 Artist In residence; 50 schools in Wales and Britain
1986-88 Bucks Rock Theatre, Connecticut, USA - costume designer in residence



Teaching:
2010     Coleg Menai; Lecturer in Textiles and Fashion; Fda Degree; WJEC Art   
            Foundation; National Diploma in Design. 
2010     Bangor University; Mentor and Visiting Lecturer; Postgraduate Teacher  
            Training Course in Art And Design 
2010     Mind Cymru; Book making workshops; Bangor Museum and art Gallery
2010     Criw Celf; Art Master classes for young artists in Gwynedd; Gwynedd Council
2010     Galeri Caernarfon; Community textile and bookmaking workshops.
2010     Embroiderers Guild- Hampton Court Palace; Masterclass Fibre Art Workshops
2010     Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board; Manager and Co-ordinator of Facilitated Art 
            projects, Workshops, exhibitions, community commissions and conferences within the trust.
1997-09 Plas Tan Y Bwlch; Visiting Lecturer in Fibre Arts Teaching Masterclass
1996-09 Coleg Menai; Applied Arts Co Coordinator for; W.J.E.C. Art Foundation; 
            Applied Arts coordinator year 1+2; Foundation Degree; 
2004-08 Coleg Menai Applied Arts co-ordinator for National Diploma In Design
1997-08 Bangor University; Visiting lecturer Training Course in Art And Design
1997-08 Masterclass Textile Courses In The Community; Self- Initiated Projects.

List of workshops:

Stitch an ancestor (one day workshop)
Students will be encouraged to create an object, surface or structure that encompasses a memory.  This could be created from a wide variety of materials and old photographs students bring.

Memory book structures  (one or two day workshop)
Do you have a memory you want to bring to life?  This is an opportunity to create a book object that you can pour your thoughts and ideas into.  Students will be encouraged to use a wide variety of printing processes and stitch will be used to bind it all together. 

Make a stitched sketchbook;  (A one day workshop).
Students will make a finished stitched sketchbook from a variety of papers and fabrics using stitch to bind and decorate the book.

Creating dynamic sketchbook pages. (A one day workshop).
Students will explore drawing, materials, pull- outs, pop- ups and layouts, composition, colour, texture, print, layering stitch, and personal thoughts and ideas to produce evocative and personal pages. 

Creating dynamic textile surfaces. (A one day workshop).
Students will explore composition, colour, texture, surface manipulation, print, layering stitch, and use of motif and surface pattern to produce effective striking textile work. 

Stitched Collage using found objects and ephemera; (A one day workshop).
Students will compose and stitch evocative and personal collage compositions using a wide materials vocabulary. 

Creative drawing for embroidery; (A one day workshop).
Exploration and experimentation using a variety of textural surfaces and drawing materials.  Colour materials will also be used to stitch and draw from observation.   

Using Colour inventively; (A one or two day workshop).
Learn to organise and use colour pallets, man made colour and found colour effectively through understanding basic principles in colour terminology.

Creating altered books;( A one or two day workshop).
Create an original and personal altered book utilising the original book in a variety of different ways, using additional colour and texture with an imput of thread and stitch.

Indigo Dying; (a one day workshop).
Using resist processes and printing create a dynamic indigo surface for embroidery.

Papermaking for embroidery; (a one day workshop).
Students will learn how to make paper with found leaves and flowers, ephemera. Create textured and coloured surfaces to make exclusive handmade paper suitable for embroidery or collage work. 

Creative Bookbinding For Embroidery (one or two day course)
This is a one or two day course exploring traditional stitched bookbinding to create inventive and thought provoking artifacts.

Creating 3d sketchbooks for fibre artists (one day workshop)
Exploring book structures pull outs and concertinas.  Development of personal ideas through stitch and print

Stitch Expression  (one day course)
Exploration of a variety of colours, threads, drawing and found objects to make intellectual decisions.

Resist Dying part 1 and part 2;  (A one or two day workshop)
Students will be introduced to a variety of processes such as, laminated paper batik, gutta resist and wax resist cold and hot, cold wax printing, indigo dip dying.

All workshops are from 10-4 and the charge is £170. This includes specialist equipment; Materials are additional costs and can be purchased from the tutor.
A charge for transport is additional and set at 30p per mile

Please contact;
Alison mercer
alisonmercer@btinternet.com
www.alisonmercer.com
www.fibreartwales.org



 
 Societies:
 FIBRE.ART.WALES | Greyhound Rescue Wales
   
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