62 Group of Textile Artists

The main objectives of the group are: • To promote Textile Art in major national and international venues • To provide facilities for its members to exhibit and sell their work • To create opportunities for the growth and exchange of ideas • To encourage the exploration of new directions • To encourage links with international textile groups • To promote and encourage greater awareness of textile art through education ==History==

Founding members Alison Erridge (née Liley), Jennifer Gray and Joy Clucas invited a group of embroidery teachers to attend a meeting at The Embroiderers' Guild in London in November 1962. They were concerned about the limited professional opportunities available to embroidery graduates at the time. Contemporary embroidery was hard to find and there was little written about it. The first meeting brought together people from a wide range of backgrounds. Embroidery graduates were frustrated because galleries would not take work "if they thought it was a woman's hobby". The 62 Group "came really up out of several students from colleges determined to get it [embroidery] shown" Walker reflects 'I thought, this is amazing. Why don't I know about this?' By 1965, she had joined the 62 Group and was exhibiting. 'Jan Beaney was terrific, she insisted I joined. It was wonderful to have the support of this group. To share a passion.' The Group was then sponsored by the Art Exhibitions Bureau, an organisation which toured exhibitions throughout the UK. This enabled the group to reach a wider public and to make sales of artwork. The increased pressure to produce artwork became a problem and so touring finished after two years. The group's members have also contributed to publishing about contemporary textiles in journals such as World of Embroidery (now Embroidery) and Crafts and have also published books on the subject. ==Exhibitions==

Between 1963 and 2011 The 62 Group held 85 exhibitions, mainly in the UK but also in Japan, Israel and Netherlands. • 2019-2020 Touring: National Centre for Craft & Design, Sleaford and 20-21 Visual Arts, Scunthorpe 'Ctrl/Shift' • 2021 The Whitaker, Rossendale. 'Connected Cloth' • 2022 St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Lymington 'Conversations: People, Places, Materials, Objects' • 2022 Touring: The Knitting & Stitching Shows, Alexandra Palace, London (Oct 2022) and Harrogate Convention Centre, Harrogate (Nov 2022) 'The 62 Group @ 60: Essence' • 2023-2024 Touring: Sunny Bank Mills Gallery, Farsley, Leeds and National Centre for Craft & Design, Sleaford 'Tailored.' • 2024 Touring: Salts Mill, Saltaire. The Knitting & Stitching Show, Harrogate (Nov 2024) 'Making as Learning.' • 2025 Crafts Study Centre, Farnham. 'Joy in the Detail.' ==Members==

Membership of The 62 Group is by selection. Potential new members apply to the group with examples of their work, and a committee of existing members chooses whether to accept the applicants on the basis of the selection criteria. The membership changes each year as new members join and others leave but usually remains fairly consistent at around 50 exhibiting members. While the group was originally established in the UK, membership is now international with members in the Netherlands, Hungary, South Africa and Japan. Exhibiting membership • Imogen Aust • Alison Aye • Louise Baldwin • Helen Banzhaf • Claire Barber • Caroline Bartlett • Jan Beaney • Heather Belcher • Marcia Bennett-Male • Eszter Bornemisza • Hilary Bower • Michael Brennand-Wood (Honorary exhibiting member) • Lucy Brown • Hazel Bruce • Daisy May Collingridge • Isobel Currie • Helen Davies • Catherine Dormor (Chair) • Isabel Fletcher • Gavin Fry • Emily Jo Gibbs • Ann Goddard • Anna Gravelle • Julie Heaton • Christina Hesford • Rachael Howard • Paddy Killer • Joanna Kinnersly-Taylor • Hannah Lamb • Jean Littlejohn • Mei Lock (Associate Member) • Debbie Lyddon • Jae Maries • Sian Martin • Jane McKeating • Mark McLeish • Sumi Perera • Ali Pickard (Associate member) • Marilyn Rathbone • Shuna Rendel • Vanessa Rolf • Tilleke Schwarz • Lynn Setterington • Anne Smith • Jennifer Smith-Windsor • Sally Spinks • Sue Stone • Andi Walkler • Jane Walkley • Hannah White • Ealish Wilson • Woo Jin Woo • Atsuko Yamamoto • Helen Yardley Sources: == References ==