Mary Butcher new maker-in-residence
Crafts Council and V&A announce basketmaker Mary Butcher as new maker-in-residence
Portrait of Mary Butcher, Photo Tim Johnson
Basketmaker Mary Butcher will be the next maker to take up a six-month craft residency at the Sackler Centre for arts education at the V&A from July to December 2009.
Selected by the Crafts Council and the V&A for her expertise in the rare and ancient craft of basketry, Butcher will create new work throughout her residency, in response to the collections of both organisations. She will also plan a programme of open studio sessions and workshops for adults and children.
Mary Butcher said: ‘I am looking forward to exploring the vast and diverse collections of the V&A and Crafts Council, and making new work in an inspirational setting.’
Mary Butcher trained as a research zoologist before studying basketry in 1977. Her knowledge of plant materials and eye for structure has allowed her to use and manipulate a variety of materials in her work including willow, holly, palm leaves, strings of seeds, plastic tubing, linen and silver wire.
This residency is run in partnership with the Crafts Council and is part of the V&A’s Museum Residency Programme giving four artists per year the chance to have a studio in the Sackler Centre. The Museum Residency Programme is supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Mary Butcher is the second maker the Crafts Council have supported through their programme to promote mid-career and established makers.
Ends
For further information on the Crafts Council contact Jill Read, on 020 7806 2549 or email media@craftscouncil.org.uk media@craftscouncil.org.uk
For further information on the V&A contact Dorothee Dines on 020 7942 2500 or email: d.dines@vam.ac.uk
Notes to Editors
For information about the V&A’s residency programme, click here
Information about the Crafts Council
The Crafts Council is the national development agency for contemporary crafts. It aims to position the UK as the best place in the world for making, seeing and collecting contemporary craft.
The Crafts Council runs a programme to promote mid-career and established makers. It consists of three approaches: placing makers in higher education institutions through peer learning residencies, the Crafts Residency programme running at the V&A from 2008 – 2010 and offering studio practice and mentorship to groups of artists in the South-West in partnership with ArtsMatrix, Arts Council England South West and the Devon Guild of Craftsmen.
The Crafts Council is supported by Arts Council England. Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives. As the national development agency for the arts, it supports a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, and carnival to crafts. Between 2008 and 2011, Arts Council England will invest £1.3 billion of public money from government and a further £0.3 billion from the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.
Information about the V&A’s Sackler Centre for arts education
The V&A’s Sackler Centre for arts education gives visitors the opportunity to learn from and work with some of the UK’s most talented designers and teachers, develop their own skills and to participate in workshops, talks and debates, festivals, conferences and courses.
The Sackler Centre is part of the V&A’s FuturePlan to transform the Museum through new galleries and redisplays of its collection to improve visitor experience.
9 April 2009
