Somerset Rural Life Museum to welcome 'Spinning a Yarn' exhibition this September

As part of this year’s Somerset Art Weeks Festival Somerset Rural Life Museum will be celebrating one of the county’s most sustainable natural products.

'Spinning a Yarn’ is a partnership project with Somerset Art Works to tell the story of wool in Somerset. Through art installations, an exhibition, workshops, talks and family activities visitors can discover more about the history and uses of this versatile material.

In the Museum’s 14th-century Abbey Barn visitors will encounter a dramatic new installation by Nicola Turner. The striking artwork, created using hand-crafted woollen tendrils, will encompass the 8-metre height of the historic barn. A film by Trevor Pitt will also be playing in the barn. ‘Somerset Yarning’ captures the personal stories of sheep farmers and artists who work with their fleeces. Opening at daybreak in the Mendips and closing at dusk in the Quantocks, the film weaves a poetic journey that follows how the fleeces from Fernhill Farm are carded, spun, felted and woven by artists from across the county.

Image: Spinning a Yarn 

In the Mapstone Gallery contemporary makers will display works made with wool. These include kimonos and handbags by couture-felt artist Liz Clay and wall hangings by hand-loom weavers Jade Ogden, who uses regenerative wool from the Mendips, and naturally dyed and recycled wool pieces by Penny Wheeler. There will also be pieces by Gladys Paulus, whose work straddles the worlds of fine arts, traditional crafts and ritual. 

Image: Spinning a Yarn

There are workshops taking place offering a chance to learn hand-weaving, needle felting and natural dying.  Two talks are taking place. Jen Hunter, from Fernhill Farm, will be talking about regenerative farming and textile artist Liz Clay will talk about her work creating hand-felted fabrics for haute couture. As part of Somerset Art Weeks’ family-friendly weekends weaver Jade Ogden will be running accessible weaving activities.

Image: Spinning a Yarn

Exhibition Curator Sarah Cox said: “‘Spinning A Yarn’ is a celebration of British wool, the farmers who produce this amazing, natural fibre and the artisans who make beautiful and sustainable textiles.” 

Carol Carey, Somerset Art Works Creative Director said: “The Somerset Art Weeks Festival is all about collaboration between artists and community so it is wonderful to see so much creativity on display, combined with opportunities for people to experience working with wool themselves.” 

‘Spinning a Yarn’ opens at Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury from 14 September to 30 November. The Nicola Turner and Trevor Pitt commissions in the Abbey Barn will close on 2 November. Booking is required for workshops and talks at SRLM.ORG.UK.