Gyllian Thomson
- Work
- Biography
Tapestry weaving tells a story, the story of weaving itself and story the artist wants to tell. I was trained in the traditional textile technique of tapestry weaving and bent my textile language to my own needs. I graduated in 1995 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art with a first-class honours degree in Constructed Textiles. My journey took me into teaching but three years ago circumstances allowed me to return to the loom and I am now a very content full time Tapestry artist.
My work is my own personal response to what I see in the world round me. I meditate in the view of the land and sea around me. I enjoy the thought and feeling that there are other forces under me and above me that I cannot see but can only feel. As I walk, I am making and thinking, making and marking my thoughts onto the loom. Using textiles is like a tactile literacy. First, I paint then I interpret these into my tapestries using wool, cotton, acrylic, threads, and plastics. I work on an upright scaffold loom and weave painterly marks via warp and weft.
Tapestry requires an intimate involvement with the hand and eye in an unaggressive way. It has a quiet strength, a gentleness and a fragility, but it also demands a respect and an admiration. This is why I chose it as my way of expressing myself, it feels like part of me. It is unassuming at first but increasingly
My work is my own personal response to what I see in the world round me. I meditate in the view of the land and sea around me. I enjoy the thought and feeling that there are other forces under me and above me that I cannot see but can only feel. As I walk, I am making and thinking, making and marking my thoughts onto the loom. Using textiles is like a tactile literacy. First, I paint then I interpret these into my tapestries using wool, cotton, acrylic, threads, and plastics. I work on an upright scaffold loom and weave painterly marks via warp and weft.
Tapestry requires an intimate involvement with the hand and eye in an unaggressive way. It has a quiet strength, a gentleness and a fragility, but it also demands a respect and an admiration. This is why I chose it as my way of expressing myself, it feels like part of me. It is unassuming at first but increasingly
Gyllian Thomson
Education
PGCE Art and Design (Secondary Education) 2000-2001
BDES (Hons) First Class in Constructed Textiles Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art 1991- 1995
Awards
Edinburgh printmakers residency ward 2023
Scottish Arts Club Award, Visual Arts Scotland, Edinburgh 2022
VACMA award 2022
Simon Jersey Tapestry Award first prize winner, Butlers Wharf, London, 1993
Exhibitions
Spring Fling Open Studios, Dumfries and Galloway, May 2024
The Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright, March 2024
Visual Arts Scotland Centenary show , RSA, 2024
Moy Molloy Gallery Summer exhibition, Penrith 2023
Scottish Society of Artist exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy 2023
Dumfries and Galloway Fine Art Society Centenary exhibition, Grace field Arts Centre, Dumfries 2022
Spring Fling Open Studios 2022
‘Reverb’ exhibition, Visual Arts Scotland , RSA, Edinburgh February 2022
‘To the water and the wild ‘, Scottish members of The British Tapestry Group, Aberlady January 2022
‘Connections’, Group exhibition with Solway Tapestry weavers. Exhibition, Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2021
2011 Scottish Select 2000, Applied Arts Scotland, Scotland’s International Trade Fair, SECC, Glasgow
Scottish Society of Student Artists, RSA, Edinburgh 1998 ART TEXTILES (a major survey of British Art textiles) Touring exhibition 1996-1998
Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh group exhibition 1995.
Public Art
Workshop co-ordinator for arts project (Bellsmyre), Dumbarton 1998-2000 Mural for school
Workshop co-ordinator, Bridgeton 1999. School Mural
Work Experiences
Secondary School Teacher of Art and Design 2001 to present.
Teacher of Art for children with impaired capacity 2014-2017
Art Workshop Tutor Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries 2016
Gallery Assistant Compass Gallery Glasgow 1998-2001
Memberships
Ordinary Member of Visual Arts Scotland
Member of the Scottish Society of Artist
Member of Applied Arts Scotland
Education
PGCE Art and Design (Secondary Education) 2000-2001
BDES (Hons) First Class in Constructed Textiles Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art 1991- 1995
Awards
Edinburgh printmakers residency ward 2023
Scottish Arts Club Award, Visual Arts Scotland, Edinburgh 2022
VACMA award 2022
Simon Jersey Tapestry Award first prize winner, Butlers Wharf, London, 1993
Exhibitions
Spring Fling Open Studios, Dumfries and Galloway, May 2024
The Whitehouse Gallery, Kirkcudbright, March 2024
Visual Arts Scotland Centenary show , RSA, 2024
Moy Molloy Gallery Summer exhibition, Penrith 2023
Scottish Society of Artist exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy 2023
Dumfries and Galloway Fine Art Society Centenary exhibition, Grace field Arts Centre, Dumfries 2022
Spring Fling Open Studios 2022
‘Reverb’ exhibition, Visual Arts Scotland , RSA, Edinburgh February 2022
‘To the water and the wild ‘, Scottish members of The British Tapestry Group, Aberlady January 2022
‘Connections’, Group exhibition with Solway Tapestry weavers. Exhibition, Gracefield Arts Centre Dumfries 2021
2011 Scottish Select 2000, Applied Arts Scotland, Scotland’s International Trade Fair, SECC, Glasgow
Scottish Society of Student Artists, RSA, Edinburgh 1998 ART TEXTILES (a major survey of British Art textiles) Touring exhibition 1996-1998
Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh group exhibition 1995.
Public Art
Workshop co-ordinator for arts project (Bellsmyre), Dumbarton 1998-2000 Mural for school
Workshop co-ordinator, Bridgeton 1999. School Mural
Work Experiences
Secondary School Teacher of Art and Design 2001 to present.
Teacher of Art for children with impaired capacity 2014-2017
Art Workshop Tutor Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries 2016
Gallery Assistant Compass Gallery Glasgow 1998-2001
Memberships
Ordinary Member of Visual Arts Scotland
Member of the Scottish Society of Artist
Member of Applied Arts Scotland
- Gyllian Thomson
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- Linear Corridor
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- Breath in Water
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- Stream Corridor
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- Bee
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- Blue
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