The Artists

Lil Brookes
Lil is an artist living and working in Renfrewshire known as “Gatekeeper Art”. She works both as an artist, and as a social historian with community practice. Her artwork is inspired by the rich heritage of Scotland with a special interest in the vibrant colours, designs, and textures of the West of Scotland’s 18th and 19th-century textile industries – the iconic Paisley pattern and handloom shawl making of Renfrewshire, the Vale of Leven’s Turkey Red dyeing process and Ayrshire lace production. Her work includes cards, signed mounted prints, painting commissions and original works. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums and materials which are both “fun” and challenging when creating new artwork. Lil sees art as “therapy”, a safe place, and a passion. Her work as a social historian has led to a number of community-led heritage projects for a variety of groups including adults with physical, learning, and visual disabilities, mental health issues, as well as older adults and school children. Projects have included online workshops, film-making, and participating in large community events.

Hector Dyer
Hector is a self-taught artist based in Glasgow whose work spans textiles, performance, and social engagement. DIY process is an important part of their work. Hector likes to show the thread and stitches that hold something together – to not try to hide the construction methods or cover up variations. Their work is often soft and fragile, and they want this to be something you can feel and know. A lot of their work is based in collaboration with others, running workshops, and ongoing conversations. Hector is interested in telling stories through textiles and the time involved in this kind of work. It has led to exploring the role of the body in this work and how our bodies can become viewed or compared to machines. Hector has recently been looking at the history of handloom weavers in Paisley – the disabilities they developed through their trade, the poverty they endured, and their struggle for equality and support.

Marion Gardyne
Marion is a textile design graduate from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee. She is a practicing artist member, exhibitor and award winner of The Paisley Art Institute, member of The Glasgow Society of Women Artists and a judge for the Glasgow Institute of Architects Annual Design Competition. She has a particular interest in architecture and has exhibited for Doors Open Days at The Arlington Baths Glasgow with a montage, drawings and collages of Glasgow‘s iconic doors. She has presented workshops for Luminate Scotland, The Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow Museums Education Department and Glasgow Life. Marion enjoys working in different mediums and in particular likes to experiment and  combine a variety of materials to produce themed dynamic collage work. She also uses photography to make collages highlighting architectural features of iconic buildings.

Lilja Husmo
Lilja is a costume designer, maker, and researcher specialising in 18th and 19th century dressmaking with a passion for Viking and Iron Age clothing. Orginially from Norway, Lilja studied Costume Design and Construction at Queen Margaret University, graduating with First Class Honours. In 2019 she supervised the Howden Park Centre Pantomime, Cinderella. In 2020, she designed Napier University’s theatre production, The Key Will Keep the Lock. In 2022 she led workshops for Renfrewshire Council, creating historical costume, in a project called Monumental. She has also created several historical costumes, including: a Viking Costume based on the findings at a Birka Grave; a 1790s gown for Miss Dalrymple of Newhailes House; a 1760s gown for Elizabeth Dawson of Gladstone’s Land’s draper’s shop; and a 1900s East Lothian bondager’s costume. In 2022 she made costumes for Jack Dickson’s production of The Girls of Cartridge Hut No7, and for PACE Theatre Co’s pantomime Cinderella.

Morwenna Kearsley
Morwenna is a Glasgow-based photographer. She likes to photograph objects, from museum artefacts and personal effects to discarded scraps and draped fabrics. Her photographs and writing are often informed by analogue processes and by the practised set of actions employed when at work in a darkroom. She studied for a BA(Hons) in Photography, Film & Imaging at Napier University, graduating in 2007. With the support of a Leverhulme Scholarship for Fine Art, she received an MFA from The Glasgow School of Art in 2015. She often collaborates with other people via workshops, evening classes and community arts projects.

The following workshop programme took place between 2 Feb and 8th March 2023.