Sylvia Critcher, Textile Artist, Teacher and Exhibition Co-ordinator
Sylvia trained at Goldsmiths College in Fine Art & Textiles with Constance Howard as her tutor and inspiration. She has taught Life drawing, fabric printing, painting & sculpture, embroidery, patchwork & quilting plus a wide range of related textile subjects for many years.
Sylvia worked for Kent A.E. at Sevenoaks for 33 years, where she ran Part 1 & Part 2 C&G 7900 Creative Studies in Embroidery and Patchwork & Quilting & Design, as well as recreational courses in these subjects plus a full programme of doll making & costuming techniques.
Since 1997 Sylvia has been a National judge and in January 2001 she was appointed as Judge Co-ordinator for Grosvenor Shows Ltd. This has included standardising the Judging procedure for all their events in the UK & to date Sylvia is contracted by Grosvenor Shows to manage the judging at all their competitive events.
As well as creating projects, and writing articles for National magazines, Sylvia was Project Co-ordinator for ‘Fabrications’ magazine from 2004 - 2012.
Having created a revival for corded & stuffed work – combining traditional techniques with a contemporary twist - she has demonstrated this at National quilt events since 1997 and holds mini-workshops as an invited ‘Quilt expert’ at all the major quilt shows and Quilt Fairs throughout the UK.
Sylvia feels that she still have much to offer both nationally & internationally as a tutor and as an exhibitor, & organiser.
“ I see my role now is to help raise the awareness of the viewer to the fact that in the future textiles are on an equal footing with all other artefacts. To keep alive lost skills, and to pass on traditional as well as contemporary techniques in any way possible, with as much backing from reputable sources as I can persuade, will seem to be the only way forward in order fulfil this mission of the 21st century. To this end, I feel that exhibiting my work will help to eventually bring about a different attitude to the value of textile art in society. I have seen some small changes over the years to public attitude to domestic textile heritage and I know that I have helped to rescue many valuable ‘social documents’ from the rubbish bins...... It is a start.”
From 2011 - 2014, Sylvia created a new Event for Hever Castle, Kent that would be linked to their annual Quilt show. This has been an exciting challenge and ‘Country Life at the Castle’ exhibits a wide range of textiles together with other crafts & skills that will interest all the family. Everything on offer to make a great day out !
For the past 8 years she has taught week long residential courses for ‘the Spanish Experience’ – a quilters’ retreat in Valencia, Spain.
You can also find her on the ‘Just Hands-on TV’ website, also featured on YouTube
Sylvia worked for Kent A.E. at Sevenoaks for 33 years, where she ran Part 1 & Part 2 C&G 7900 Creative Studies in Embroidery and Patchwork & Quilting & Design, as well as recreational courses in these subjects plus a full programme of doll making & costuming techniques.
Since 1997 Sylvia has been a National judge and in January 2001 she was appointed as Judge Co-ordinator for Grosvenor Shows Ltd. This has included standardising the Judging procedure for all their events in the UK & to date Sylvia is contracted by Grosvenor Shows to manage the judging at all their competitive events.
As well as creating projects, and writing articles for National magazines, Sylvia was Project Co-ordinator for ‘Fabrications’ magazine from 2004 - 2012.
Having created a revival for corded & stuffed work – combining traditional techniques with a contemporary twist - she has demonstrated this at National quilt events since 1997 and holds mini-workshops as an invited ‘Quilt expert’ at all the major quilt shows and Quilt Fairs throughout the UK.
Sylvia feels that she still have much to offer both nationally & internationally as a tutor and as an exhibitor, & organiser.
“ I see my role now is to help raise the awareness of the viewer to the fact that in the future textiles are on an equal footing with all other artefacts. To keep alive lost skills, and to pass on traditional as well as contemporary techniques in any way possible, with as much backing from reputable sources as I can persuade, will seem to be the only way forward in order fulfil this mission of the 21st century. To this end, I feel that exhibiting my work will help to eventually bring about a different attitude to the value of textile art in society. I have seen some small changes over the years to public attitude to domestic textile heritage and I know that I have helped to rescue many valuable ‘social documents’ from the rubbish bins...... It is a start.”
From 2011 - 2014, Sylvia created a new Event for Hever Castle, Kent that would be linked to their annual Quilt show. This has been an exciting challenge and ‘Country Life at the Castle’ exhibits a wide range of textiles together with other crafts & skills that will interest all the family. Everything on offer to make a great day out !
For the past 8 years she has taught week long residential courses for ‘the Spanish Experience’ – a quilters’ retreat in Valencia, Spain.
You can also find her on the ‘Just Hands-on TV’ website, also featured on YouTube
