About

From farm to fleece and finished piece Fibre & Texture – Form & Shape draws deeply on a history of wool, the beauty and variety of British sheep breeds, and the traditional working and craftsmanship of wool. Showcasing the synergies between the work of Nancy Nicholson, a weaver, artist and rug maker and de Le Cuona’s sustainable natural fabrics, this pop-up exhibition unveils new pieces that express a shared ethos of championing natural fibres.

Nancy Nicholson is based in Devon, England. Her artisanal creations use time-honoured crafts but are truly contemporary and include woven pieces for the wall and the floor. Born to a Cumbrian shepherdess in a multigenerational family of artists, she stitches the practical, earthborn world to the abstract and aesthetic. A relationship she believes is mirrored in the craft of weaving itself.

Nancy trained in Set Design, completing her BA at Guildhall and her later MA at Wimbledon Collage of Art. She worked on sets for The Royal Opera House, English National Opera and The Royal Albert Hall among many others before making a move to the commercial art world selling Modern British Art at Crane Kalman Gallery in Kensington. Since beginning to weave full-time 4 years ago, she has exhibited in London and St Ives, created designs and show-pieces for Christopher Farr and knitwear company Navy Grey and worked on bespoke commissions for some of the country’s leading interior designers.

de Le Cuona is rooted in nature. Founder and CEO Bernie de Le Cuona grew up in South Africa and the natural world has always been at the heart of what she does. The soul of the company lies in the unique tactility of its interior textiles coupled with a deep commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship. These shared values coupled with a desire to champion young talent is why de Le Cuona is proud to host this pop-up exhibition of Nancy’s work during London Craft Week.

 Fibre & Texture

Exclusively for London Craft Week Nancy has created a collection of works that explore the wonder of Cumbrian wool. Her practice anchors her to millennia of makers binding her up in the history of the fibre she works with. This is especially true in her work with Cumbrian Wool, exploring the colours and textures that emerge from the flocks that roam the hillsides and farms where she grew up. Nancy has used a variety of hand weaving techniques to create designs of textural mark making that honours the natural properties of the fibres and champions the craft of hand loom weaving.

Form & Shape

In contrast Form & Shape is a study in shape and colour. These bold geometric, compositions stitch her to the modern world around us. They draw on the ratios between everyday objects, roof beams and walls – car wheels and curbs. They explore how we move through spaces, where we pause, where we rush. They aim to distil these relationships into geometric and textural creations that enhance them.