Mixed Media artist Barbara Greene was one of our AA2A Fellows in 2012/3 who created a body of work in response to collections in the Textile Archive.
Barbara originally trained as a biologist and science manager, then transferred from The Open University to The Crafts Council as Deputy Director. Upon relocation to Yorkshire, she changed career direction after taking with a BA (Hons) Textile Print Design, followed by MA Printmaking at Bradford College. She combines these influences and mixes artistic and scientific references in her installations. She is a regular exhibitor and has curated various exhibitions in her adopted Yorkshire.
Barbara explained, “One hundred years ago Bradford was central to the industrial manufacture and design of cloth in the UK and the world. Resources of the industrial development and post industrialisation of local industry have long formed motifs for my work. In this project I explore themes including, for instance, global influences on design, the connections between science and technology associated with industrial development and the refinement through education of art and design practice. These areas, interwoven with the emergence of political and economic empowerment through struggle, have become the main themes of my current work. I hope to be able to continue with this project, as so far I have only been able to scratch the surface of this subject. I plan to expand each of the themes into a larger body of which together will become a significant installation in the near future. For me, archive materials from past eras of industrial and design activities provide reference points and resonances to inspire contemporary work.”