Jane Riley – A Fine Blue Line
A beautiful walk along the River Tees, accompanied by kingfishers, sand martins, demoiselles, and a half-remembered story of a path used by local dyers… This was the inspiration for a deep exploration of the history of textiles on the Tees: carpet makers of Barnard Castle; linen weavers of Darlington; sailmakers of Yarm; and the old Sadler chemical dye plant in Middlesbrough.
This triptych of tapestries is mounted on hessian in tribute to the jute imported for rope making. Old wharfs, discarded steam plates, carpet patterns and the remnants of loom housing on mill floors informed each panel.