Lois has had a rich and varied career as an artist since 1991.
Introductions
Lois exhibits her work internationally, has been commissioned for wide range of public art and private artworks, and her artwork is held in public collections.
She has 25 years experience within the arts and health field. From 2006-2021 she set up and ran the Community Interest Company arthur+martha with poet Philip Davenport.
Lois’ work focusses on the creation of issue based artworks, often using batik, quilts and hand fans.
Her illustration clients included: The Times Newspaper, The Big Issue & The Spectator.
Skills and knowledge include artistic direction, coordinating activities, curating exhibitions, editing books and publications, publicity and promotion, managing budgets, cash flow, book keeping, training, strategic planning, fundraising, managing and recruiting volunteers, employing artists, managing and administrating projects, creating and maintaining websites and social media, liaising and collaborating with: galleries, community groups, councils, art officers and other bodies.
She is a founder, Director and lead artist of the art organisation arthur+martha, where she shared her skills and knowledge, collaborating with homeless and older people to make artwork, most recently a series of quilts.
Exhibitions Lois’s artwork solo and socially engaged art practice has been exhibited internationally. arthur+martha collaborations have been exhibited at the Houses of Parliament, Peoples History Museum, The Royal Festival Hall Southbank, Imperial War Museum North, Bury Art Gallery, numerous healthcare venues and internationally at the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Commissions and public collections Her design work and illustrations have been commissioned for everything from mosaics, public art, greeting cards, promotional materials, local and national newspapers, magazines and children’s books.
Her work is housed in public collections including Bankfield Museum Halifax and Leighton House Museum, Kensington. In 2018, two quilts were archived with The Quilters’Guild.
Teaching Lois has taught at schools, Art Foundation, Degree and MA level, and in diverse community settings.
Professional group memberships 2018- Textile Study Group. A group of nationally and internationally recognised textile artists and tutors, well known for innovative and challenging approaches to art practice and contemporary teaching.
Education
Manchester Metropolitan University
(1988- 1991 )
BA Hons 1st class degree in Embroidered Textiles.
Farnham Art College
(1987 – 1988)
Foundation in Art and Design 1987-1988
Lois Blackburn 