Allison James
I have always loved to sew. Since picking up an embroidery needle as a child, I have kept this passion by my side throughout my education, motherhood and my working life as an academic. It is a resource that has always enlivened me and now, in retirement, has full rein.
Completing a City and Guilds Diploma in Embroidery, led to a brief dalliance with felting and traditional quilting, before I found my textile community in art quilting in 2019.
My work
I enjoy the challenge and freedom that fused appliqué permits and sometimes combine this with improvised, scrap piecing. This process of textile layering is finished with machine quilting and, sometimes, further detail is stitched in by hand.
I am excited by the additional textures and complexities that these different processes and stitches bring to the piece.
CV
Exhibitions and Memberships
2026
Pollinators (forthcoming Juried SAQA Global Exhibition, Houston International Quuilt Festival , USA and touring)
(IM)Material , juried exhibition, (Bob Cat gallery,,London , UK)
Road to California Show , USA ( 20 perspectives, - Nature & Monochrome exhibits)
2025
Festival of Quilts, (Birmingham, UK)
OPO Gallery , (Scarborough - Open exhibition , juried, UK)
Doors Portals & Windows, (20 Perspectives exhibition, St Petersburg, Florida, USA)
Nature , ( 2o perspetcives exhibition, Roseburg, Oregon USA)
Monochrome ( 20 perspectives exhibition, Latimer Gallery, USA Rosenburg, Oregon, USA)
Literary Allusions (20 perspectives exhibition, Mancuso shows across USA)
2024
Cupola Gallery, (Sheffield., UK)
Doors, Portals & Windows ( 20 perspectives exhibition) Australian Quilt Competition, Australia & USA)
Bearing Witness (juried SAQA exhibition, Heidelberg & USA touring )
Monochrome ( 20 perspectives exhibition, Brno, Czech republic)
Festival of Quilts, (Birmingham,UK)
Nowhere Gallery, (Holmfirth<UK)
Art Week, (Holmfirth , UK)
Derbyshire Open Arts, (Ecostitchers' Exhibition, Beeley, UK)
2023
Nature ( 20 perspectives exhibition) European Patchwork Meeting, France & USA )
Festival of Quits,( Birmingham, UK)
Summer, (Open Gallery, Halifax, UK)
Art Quilts Uncovered, (Solo exhibition, Holmfirth Tech, UK)
Landscape and Abstraction ,( Somerton Art Space, Holmfirth, UK)
No Rain, no Flowers (Ecostitchers' Exhibition, Beeley, UK)
WOVEN Festival - Huddersfield Art Gallery, Abrcafabric Exhibition & Somerton Art Space, UK)
Ruby Exhibition ( Art Through Textiles, Derbyshire, UK)
2022
Winter Open , (Gallery180, Leeds, UK ,Juried exhibition)
Festival of Quilts, (Birmingham, UK)
A Sense of Space ( Art Through Textiles Exhibition, Derbyshire, UK)
Haven (juried SAQA Exhibition , Houston International Quilt Festival , Australia, USA & UK touring until 2025)
Trees for Life (Ecostitchers' Exhibition) Derbyshire, UK
Bonsall Arts Trail (invited) Derbyshire, UK
Bridges (20 Perspectives Exhibition) Meiningen Germany, France & Mancuso Shows touring USA 2022-3
Fronteer Gallery (Juried Sheffield, UK)
2021
Festival of Quilts, (Birmingham,UK. )
Food for Thought, (Ecostitchers' Exhibition) Sheffield,UK.
2019
Material Matters, (Art Through Textiles Exhibition, Derbyshire,UK. )
Festival of Quilts, (Birmingham,UK.)
Collective Stitches, (UK, Australia and Holland )
Open Up, (Sheffield, UK)
2018
'Tis the Season’, (Sheffield, UK. )
Holmfirth Art Week, ( Holmfirth, UK. )
2017
Follow the Thread, (Art Through Textiles Exhibition) Derbyshire, UK.
Current Memberships & Offices held
Studio Art Quilts Association (Member , formerly European rep 2024-2026)
Quilters Guild of British Isles ( Member)
20Perspectives (Member- www.20perspectives.com)
Ecostitchers ( Member - www.ecostitchers.com)
Art Through Textiles (Member )
Media Engagement
Magazines & catalogues
2024 Featured artist in Patchwork Professional 02/24
Featured artist on www.createwhimsy.com
2023
Quilt - A Visiti to Margate , in exhibition catalogue , Summer , Halifax Open Gallery
2022
Quilt - Mariupol- lest we forget - was featured in Quilt Mania - Simply Moderne, Issue 31
Quilt - Holme Valley - was pictured in the catalogue for the Haven exhibition which premiered at the Houston International Quilt festival and is,on tour 2022-5. Quilt sold in Houston.