Local lacemaker Louise West is being featured as part of the Small Business Saturday promotion Small Biz100. Louise is be receiving this promotion of her business on 26th October, after being selected to be one of the 100 businesses to be featured on the run up to Small Business Saturday (6th December)
Louise is a graduate of the University of Derby and based at Bank's Mill Studios, Bridge St, Derby, where she runs the business teaching and designing handmade bobbin lace, and using the designs to produce fine silver jewellery.
"Lacemaking basics are easy to learn and almost anyone can benefit from this quiet, reflective and creative craft, with many students finding it therapeutic" says Louise.
The business developed from the passion of the historical and combining traditional with contemporary into jewellery, as well as enabling participation – to try something new.
Louise runs classes and workshops in Bobbin Lacemaking in Derby, Nottingham and Leicestershire, and longer courses nationally. She also runs workshops in Derby on Fine Silver jewellery and sells the jewellery locally and through the Evolve Website.
On 6th December Louise will be at the National Christmas Lacemakers Fair, Cranmore Park, Solihull, selling her jewellery.
'In Fine Style' Exhibition at The Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace
15th May 2013
A new exhibition 'In Fine Style:The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion, opened on 10th May and runs through to 6th October in the Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
Louise is featured on the digital audio visual guide given to visitors to the exhibition to explain how bobbin lace is made, as the paintings of the fashions feature a lot of lace.
The short film was shot by Edward Jarvis and is being used in this introduction to the exhibition to explain the process.
"It is a great privilege to part of this prestigious exhibition, I hope my explanation helps the visitors understand lace a little" Louise West
Louise was invited and attended the Private View on Monday evening (13th May) and was able to see the painting first hand.
A fabulous collection, wonderful depiction of lace and some other interesting artefacts as well, including lace loaned from the Bowes Museum. Well worth a vist.
The film footage was shot as part of the filming for the DVD - The Lacemakers:The forgotten story of English lace, but unused in the DVD. A couple of stills from the footage used at Buckingham Palace can be seen at thelacemakers.co.uk/gallery
Metal Clay Guild UK Competition 2012
12th December 2012
The newly formed Metal Clay Guild UK ran a competition, with the subject of the natural world and invited members to submit work.
I was the winner of this competition with my piece 'Hidden Treasures' which was based on a walk through woodland and looking for hidden flora and fauna. There are ladybirds, and dragonflies hidden under leaves and nestling in the lichen on the back as well as front, to sugest how the wildlife hides in the undergrowth, and bark of the trees.
Invited Exhibition
28th September 2012
As part of the Nottingham Lace Seaon, I have been invited to exhibit with Victoria Brown at the Lace Market Gallery, Stoney Street, Nottingham between 8th-25th October 2012.
The exhibition will be a contrasting collection of work with Victoria exhibiting large scale oil paintings alongside my traditional and contemporary lace pieces.
Private view is on 9th October 2012, between 5pm-7pm.
Photograph of part of the exhibition
Diploma in Metal Clay
20th August 2012
I have just completed and passed the grades 3 and 4 in this Diploma, and so I am now a full Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery Diploma holder.
It was a high standard to achieve, but the two tutors were very supportive and helped me to achieve the standard required to pass.
Photograph of Lisa Cain, Louise and Julia Rai, after awarding the full Diploma
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