Jennie Moncur
My work is often based on my own horticultural interests. Growing peaches and lemons under glass, the trees blossom very early in the season and certainly before any bees are around to pollinate. Consequently, when I use rabbit fur strapped to a large stick (somewhat like a huge paint brush), the fur is dabbed from blossom to blossom to pollinate the hundreds of blooms covering the trees.
It is a painstakingly slow process and one that has highlighted to me how much we rely on bees to fulfil the task of pollinating our fruits and flora from year to year. It therefore seemed only natural, when asked to exhibit in this exhibition, that tapestries incorporating the fruits of this pollinating process should be presented.
Each tapestry aims to express small windows on the world. One which reminds us that we rarely see things as a whole, but that sometimes the interruption of one image by another can tease and surprise, as well as create something quite joyous to behold.
February 2010
Education
1984-1986 Royal College of Art, London, MA RCA Tapestry
1980-1984 Goldsmith's College, University of London
BA Hons Textiles and Embroidery
Employment
2004- Creative Consultant, Vitsoe Ltd
1997-2004 Crafts Council Trustee, serving on Finance and
Purpose Committee and Nominations Committee
1997-2003 Chair of Crafts Council Development Award Committee
1996-1998 Visiting Lecturer, Middlesex University
1993-1995 Visiting Lecturer, Royal College of Art
Selected Exhibitions
2009 Mystery, Magic and Merriment, Contemporary Applied Arts, London
2008 Tapestry 08 Dean Cough Crossley Gallery and Bankfield Museum, Halifax
Syzygy, Alpha House Gallery Dorset
2006 Farrago, Highgate Fine Art, London
Tapestry Today, Hebden Bridge, W Yorks
2005 Contemporary Art for the UK, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
2004 COLLECT, individual artist presentation, Crafts Council at the V&A
Selected Major Public Commissions
Amersham International, Amersham
The Architecture Foundation, London
Blackett’s Medical Practice, Darlington
British Rail, Gateshead
Cherwell School, Oxford
Commerz Grundbesitz Investmentgesellschaft mbH
Contemporary Textile Gallery, London
Crafts Council, London
Collections
Amersham PLC
Canary Wharf Group
Hertfordshire County Art Collection
Huddersfield Art Gallery
Manchester City Art Gallery
Awards
1990 RSA Bursary for Calne Project
1990 Southern Arts Award for Calne Project
1989 Crafts Council Incentive Scheme
Publications
2008 Oct FT Superior Interiors, Emma Crichton-Miller, Wool-to-Wall-Winners
July Hertfordshire Life, Caroline Foster, Ancient Art – Modern Style
April Homes & Antiques, Caroline Wheater, Antiques of the future Of Weft and Warp
2006 Dec 9 THE TIMES MAGAZINE, Tina Gaudoin, Coolhunter – Jennie Moncur
JOHAUSEN’S Russian Edition, Great Fosters Tapestry
Feb 4 DAILY MAIL, An Inspector calls, Feature on Great Fosters Tapestry
2005 May 14 FINANCIAL TIMES Timothy Hitchcock, Clothe a Wall with Sophistication
Feb 26 FINANCIAL TIMES Nicole Swengley, Inspiring Textiles
2004 June TEXTILEFORUM, Schnuppe von Gwinner, Collect review
Feb 21 THE TIMES, Lucia Van der Post, The Art of Collecting
Jan CRAFTS, Diana Woolf, Rising Market
2003 Mar 6 WOLVERHAMPTON AD NEWS, review of Public and Private exhibition
Feb 24 Metro, Review of Public and Private exhibition
Feb 20 EXPRESS AND STAR, Review of Public and Private exhibition
Feb 20 WOLVERHAMPTON AD NEWS, Part of Life’s Rich Tapestry
Feb FIBRE ART ONLINE, Public and Private exhibition review
Jan CRAFTS, Calendar, Public and Private exhibition review