Paper pioneer Jennifer Collier creates exquisite sculptures from vintage recycled materials in conjunction with stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles. The papers serve as both the inspiration and the media for the work, with the narrative suggesting the forms. Through this marriage of unlikely materials, old papers are transformed into something truly unique, delicate and complex.
Most recently Jennifer has been collecting rarely used, heritage stitches and discovering how to translate the art of lost stitches onto paper, as these techniques are an important part of our creative heritage and she wants to continue to invest time in them to keep them in the present, offering them onto future generations. Jennifer is giving new life to things that would otherwise go unused, unloved or be thrown away…
Jennifer completed a BA (hons) in Textiles (Print, Knit and Weave) in 1999 at Manchester Metropolitan University, is internationally exhibited, and has had her work featured in over 100 magazines and 17 books to date.
Paper & Stitch - Jennifer Collier from R&A Collaborations on Vimeo.
Education
1996-99 BA(hons) Textiles, Manchester Metropolitan University.
1995-96 BTEC in Art & Design, Stafford Collage.
1993-95 A-Level Art, Business Studies & English Literature, Weston Road High School, Stafford.
Awards
2016 Craft & Design Selected Maker of the Year
2016 Craft & Design Selected Maker Gold Award for Specialist Media
2015 Design Factory Awards- ‘Focus Gallery’ Solo Exhibition Award
2014 Arts Council Grant to set up ‘Cultivated’, a two year graduate support programme at Unit Twelve.
2007 Country Living Fair – Winner ‘Best New Product’
2007 Origin: The London Craft Fair - Grand Designs Magazine ‘Best in Show’
2004 Designfront 04 - Best Stand
2004 BCTF- Award for Excellence
2003 BCTF- Newcomer Award
2001-03 North West Art Board Setting Up Grant.
Professional
I work from a studio in Staffordshire, and continue my self-employed career through the sale of my work, exhibitions and commissions. I run my own gallery, Unit Twelve, which is open to the public Saturday, 10am- 4pm, and also for workshops, events and by appointment. Unit Twelve houses 5 artist’s studios, hosts "In The Window" contemporary craft exhibitions and has a programme of art workshops run by myself and visiting artists.
Workshops
I have been running art workshops since I graduated in 1999, so have gained a vast experience of running workshops in schools, colleges, and galleries; with a diverse range of community groups. I have experience of working with children with behavioural difficulties and emotional wellbeing issues and adults with learning difficulties, but my greatest area of enterprise is with people suffering with problems around mental wellbeing. I have run workshops at many galleries, including The V&A, Tate Liverpool and Manchester Art Gallery, to name a few. For details of workshops I currently offer please click here
Commissions
2024: Lyme Park, Disley. Book interpretation models depicting the 5 stages of change at this National Trust Property.
2023: Alta Journal, America. A pair of map 'running shoes' commissioned to illustrate an article by John Freeman
2022: Chinese Canadian Museum, Vancouver. A Paper Typewriter for an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of Canada’s 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act, made from papers the curator designed using vintage newspapers. I was also commissioned to make a Paper Lightshade, again using designed papers, this time a reworking of a Canadian Dollar Bill, depicting themes from this same act, with a Needle Lace Stitched window around the rubber stamp used.
2022: Cannock Chase CEP, Staffordshire. ‘Sense of Place’ Commission. Floral swags of flowers and ferns made through art workshops in schools around Rugeley and Cannock. I also made a swag of flowers and foliage that related to the AONB, that draped over areas around Rugeley. All of the work was created with site specific papers and stories that give the installation a ‘Sense of Place’.
2021: Arts Connected and Staffordshire Libraries, Stafford. 'Crafting Communities' was a 3 month residency and public art commission at the Blythe Bridge Library, working with local community groups to share their stories through workshops. The outcome was a series of large scale paper lampshades that incorporated stories and memories of life in local area. As a legacy I created an A-Z of simple stitches for library users to be able continue working together as a group
2020: Calke Abbey, Derbyshire. Working with the property's volunteer and stitch group to create a fabric diary installation for ‘Winnies Wall’. I went onto making textile entrance hall signage to illustrate the properties ‘journey from grandeur to decline’.
2019: Lyme Park, Disley. To accompany the property's 'Books and Stories Christmas’ I created stitched book interpretation quote ‘boards’. For this the book ‘The House of Lyme’ was overprinted with a quote about each room, and has a picot stitched window through to an archive image of the room, for visitors to fully imagine the history and narrative of this magical property at Christmas.
2019: Lyme Park, Disley. Creating an outdoor site-specific Bluebell installation as part of the ‘Lost Words’ trail at this National Trust property, using text from 'The House of Lyme'. This was an outdoor installation, and each acetate bluebell had an actual bell inside, so was a multisensory installation. It was created collaboratively working with the staff, volunteers and visitors to the property.
2018: Speke Hall, Liverpool. Working with staff and volunteers to create William Morris inspired paper decorations to dress the property for Christmas.
2018: Staffordshire Libraries, Stafford. 'Trailblazers: World War One’s Inspirational Women' was a project where I constructed a paper poppy installation created from archive images and library dead stock, made in art workshops with library users in Staffordshire.
2018: Telford Priory School. 'Telford is 50' Creating a series of site specific garments using 1968 patterns to celebrate Telford’s half centernary.
2018: Packwood House, Solihull. Installation of WW1 observation balloons created from the donar families war diaries. This installation was accompinied by music and was lit by The Royal Shakespeare Company.
2018: Creating a giant Map SLR Map Camera for a tradeshow in the Netherlands.
2018: Holland America Lines. Paper sculptures from maps for its newest cruise ship 'New Statendam'
2016: Packwood House, Solihull. Dressing this National Trust property for ‘The theatre of Christmas’, comprising of 400 paper decorations, 400 paper flowers, 50 paper lampshades (making up 13 lampshade ‘trees’), as well as many other decorations.
2016: Redfern’s Cottage, Uttoxeter. Creating work in response to the building, its archive and its refurbishment.
2016: Coughton Court, Warwickshire. A Farewell to Arms. A floral paper dining table setting commemorating 100 years since members of the donor family were killed in WW1, and 70 years since the property was given to the national trust.
2016: Shugborough Hall, Stafford. Creating a community quilt through participatory art workshops, to celebrate Staffordshire County Museums Service’s local history collection housed at this National Trust Property.
2016-2019: Paper Lightshades for White Stuff stores nationwide
2014: Walter Knoll stand at Milan Design week. Paper props to adorn the famous furniture makers stand at this prestigious show.
2013: The Library of Birmingham. Paper typewriter made from vintage typewriter manuals and encyclopaedias to be housed in the reference section of the new library.
2012: Craftspace, Birmingham. Creating a full sized Paper Hoover (complete with a 1970's orange zip up hoover bag) for the 'Made in the Middle' exhibition that toured around art venues in the Midlands for 18 months.
2011: Lenches Trust, Birmingham. Narrative paper workman's leather apron investigating the origins of the Trust.
2010: Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Neo Natal Unit. Time capsule commission to signpost the entrance to the unit.
2009: Simon & Schuster, America. Creating paper garments for the cover artwork of Linda Grant's ‘The Thoughtful Dresser’
2008: New Art Gallery, Cirencester/ Bilston Craft Gallery/ Beecroft Art Gallery. Work created for the ‘Top Dog’ exhibition.
2008 & 09: Kew 159 Ltd, London. ‘Kew’ style garments created from catalogue pages and maps, for window display in their London stores.
2007: Craftbox, Bilston /Shropshire. A specially commissioned box of contemporary craft objects to tour around non-art venues.
2007: Making Moves, Newcastle under Lyme. Creating work in response to the Jubilee Baths, which toured as part of ‘Handmade3’
2004: 20-21 Visual Arts, Scunthorpe. A strawberry wedding dress, with accessories for the 'Food, Glorious Food' exhibition.
2003: Centro, Birmingham. A dress fabricated in metal to adorn a bus information point in Small Heath.
2002: Manchester Art Gallery. A dress and shoes produced for the 'Made in Manchester' section of the gallery.
2000: Q-Arts, Derby. Dresses impregnated with seeds created for 'Environment Week'.
1999: Craftspace Touring, Birmingham. A series of ironic fruit bowls made from fruit, for ‘Handmade1’ exhibition.
1999: Hatworks, Stockport. Garments, hats and shoes produced for the opening exhibition.
Public Collections
*Manchester Art Gallery
*The Library of Birmingham
*The Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester
*The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford
*The Museum & Art Gallery, Newcastle-under-Lyme
*The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport
Periodicals (selected)
My work has been featured in over 100 magazine including Vogue, Elle Decoration, Living etc, Times, Red, Eve, Marie Claire, Crafts, Embroidery, Country Living, Telegraph, Pretty Nostalgic and Selvedge, to name just a few to date. To see all press I have been featured in please click here.
Books
*Rag and Pulp: Creativity with Paper by Correy Baldwin
*The Papercrafts Ideas Book by Jessica Baldry
*Paper Crafts: A Makers Guide. A Thames and Hudson book for The V&A
*Art Made From Books by Laura Heyenga
*Encore! The New Artisans by Olivier Dupon
*Upcyclist by Antonia Edwards
*Paper Art Now! By Eva Minguet
*Textile Nature by Anne Kelly
*High Touch: Tactile Design and Visual Explorations by Robert Klanten, Matthias Hübner and M. Hubner
*Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed by Alyson Kuhn, Laura Heyenga and Brian Dettmer
*500 Paper Objects by Gene McHugh
*On the Button: The Significance of an Ordinary Item by Nina Edwards
*Sew Eco By Ruth Singer
*The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant (cover artwork)
*Miracle of Grace by Kate Kerrigan (work featured on cover artwork)
*Embroidered Purses by Linda Tudor
*Choosing & Using Paper for Great Graphic Design by Mark Hampshire & Keith Stephenson
*Jeux de Mode by Véronique Antoine-Andersen
Exhibitions (selected)
2024 Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge. 'Paper' exhibition
2022 Leeds Craft and Design Centre. 'Curios– 40 Years in the Making'
2016-18 Made in the Middle curated By Craftspace. 1 of 4 invited makers included in the touring exhibition.
2016 White Noise Gallery, Rome. 'Any Given Book'
2016 Whatcom Museum, Washington. 'Unhinged: Book Art on the Cutting Edge.' An exhibition of work created from books.
2015-17 NY NOW. Trade show in New York, picking up international stockists, such as Museum of Art and Design in New York.
2015 Contemporary Craft Festival Shop, Bovey Tracey. 'A Room with a View' Window Exhibition.
2015 Clotsworthy Arts Centre/Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre. 'Forming Words.' A touring exhibition looking at the use of words in making
2015 Museum Kunst der Westküste, Germany. 'Papermania.' An international exhibition of works made from paper
2014 Stroud International Textiles. ‘Selected’ at Newark Park. Work made for this National Trust property for the textiles festival.
2014 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Torfaen. ‘Dark Tales’ An exhibition exploring the darker side of fairy stories.
2013 The Design Centre & Craft Gallery, Leeds. ‘A New Life’, Exhibition showcasing recycled artworks.
2012-13 Made in the Middle touring exhibition
2011 Selvedge Spring Fair, London.
2011 Amelia Johnson Gallery, Hong Kong. ‘Wonderland’
2009 Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. ‘Recycled’
2008 The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne. ‘Well Thread’
2008 Liberty, London. Haberdashery department exhibition.
2007 Manchester Craft & Design Centre. ‘Paper’
2007/08/09/13 Lustre: Midlands Contemporary Craft Market, Nottingham. Retail craft fair.
2007 Affordable Art Fair, New York.
2007 V&A Craft Shop Exhibition.
2006-09 Oriel Davies Gallery, Powys. ‘Folktale and Fairy Tales’ touring exhibition.
2006/07/08/09/11 Origin: The London Craft Fair. Retail craft fair.
2006 Waterside Arts Centre, Sale. ‘Threadbare’
2005 The Design Centre & Craft Gallery, Leeds. ‘Expect the Unexpected’
2005 The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport. Solo exhibition.
2004 Druncroon, Wigan. 'A Trace of Memory'.
2004 Millenium Galleries, Sheffield. 'Secret Garden'.
2003 The Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool. 'Tracing Paper'. An exhibition of work created by artists working with paper.
2000 Cleveland Craft Centre/ Bluecoat Display Centre/ Ruskin Gallery. 'Value Judgements'. Touring exhibition around issues of worth.
1999 The Platform Gallery, Clitheroe. 'Threads'. An exhibition of contemporary textiles.
Residencies
Oct-Dec 2021: Arts Connected and Staffordshire Libraries, Crafting Communities project. 3 month residency and public art commission at the Blythe Bridge Library, working with local community groups to share their stories through workshops. The outcome was a series of large scale paper lampshades that incorporated stories and memories of life in local area. As a legacy I created an A-Z of simple stitches for library users to be able continue working together as a group
May 2018: Telford is 50. A two-week residency in Telford Priory School, running art workshops and creating site specific artwork to celebrate half a century since Telford was built.
April-Dec 2016: Redfern’s Cottage, Uttoxeter. Running art workshops with 2 mental wellbeing charities to create work for a touring exhibition exploring the cottage, its archive and its refurbishment.
Jan 2011: Playhouse Theatre, Birmingham. Consultancy role on a production of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’.
May 2010: Buille Hill High School, Salford. Week residency working with all 5 years of the school, to create a map of their heritage.
May-June 2007: Making Moves, Newcastle under Lyme. Six-week residency at the Jubilee Baths, making work to tour as part of ‘Handmade 3’. This involved mentoring a recent graduate, running art workshops, and creating work to go on permanent display at the baths.
Jan-Mar 2007: Bantock House, Wolverhampton. 3 month residency creating new work in response to the collections and running art workshops.
Oct-Dec 2006: Staffordshire County Council. Creative consultation project with young people about mental wellbeing, based at Allynes High School, Uttoxeter, as well as with youth groups in the community.
Mar 2006: Whitworth Art Gallery. Working on a four-week citizenship project for the gallery with a school in Wythenshaw.
Apr-May 2005: Weatherhead High School, Birkenhead. A six week residency creating garments with year 7 students for a recycled fashion show.
Sept-Dec 2003: Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham. Lead artist on a project, facilitating & running workshops with 3 schools, 2 artists & the gallery, culminating in an exhibition, based on the work of the Bloomsbury set and the Omega workshops.
May-June 2003: Stockport College, BA Textiles course. Residency where I acted as visiting lecturer on a 6 week garment project.
2001-2004: The Museum Of Science & Industry in Manchester, as part of the North West Art Board Setting Up Scheme. I was resident at the museum for two and a half years, with a studio space in the gallery of ‘Fibres, Fashion & Fabrics’. I served as an exhibit to the visitors, as well as running workshops & doing demonstrations.
Sept 2001: Burnley College and Nelson & Colne College. Ten day residency in each college, to support the Mid-Pennine Gallery exhibition of Caroline Broadhead's work.
June 2000: Northern Lights. Residency within two 6th form colleges, to coincide with the 'Value Judgements' exhibition.
1999-2000: Vale Royal Borough Council. Six-month artist in residence where I had a studio at The London Road Gallery. I was responsible for the running of the gallery; curating and selecting exhibitions. I also ran workshops within the gallery & undertook supply teaching at Mid Cheshire College.