Exhibition Special Newsletter
WELCOME FROM OUR CHAIRS
Welcome to April
This month’s newsletter is all about our upcoming exhibition DICTIONARY at the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park, London, running from 17-26 April.
An impressive 54 of our 64 members are taking part, presenting new work created in response to this year’s title. The exhibition explores the hidden meanings embedded in words: their origins, their shifting forms across centuries, misunderstandings, transformations, and cultural echoes.
Through the language of stitch and the limitless possibilities of textile materials, the artists investigate new ways of expressing ideas, developing fresh interpretations and unexpected constructs, using everything from cloth to stone, silk to steel.
For the duration of the exhibition PRISM members will be hosting free two-hour taster workshops, offering the chance to explore some of the techniques used by our members. From soft sculpture and mending to needle felting, patchwork, and vessel-making, these relaxed sessions are a great opportunity to experiment, learn something new, and get closer to the ideas and processes behind some of the work on show. There’s no need to book - first come, first served.
We have encouraged local schools to visit the exhibition through guided tours organised by our education team, led by Julieanne Long. If you have a group of schoolchildren who might be interested, please feel free to contact her directly via this email: prismtextilesgroup@gmail.com
We are delighted that Berni Yates, who is part of the MA Fashion programme at Central Saint Martins, will be opening the Private View, and we’re very much looking forward to a vibrant and exciting evening. Join us on Thursday 16 April, 6-8pm. It would be wonderful to see as many of you there as possible.
With best wishes,
Wolfgang Woerner, Chair
Jane Riley, Vice Chair
BERNI YATES CELEBRATING PRISM
The Joy and Power of Making
I was genuinely delighted to be asked to write this piece. What Prism does sits right at the heart of the work I do in my teaching and in building projects as Lead on Knowledge Exchange at Central Saint Martins.
In a world that often feels distant from the tactile, these artists bring us back to something essential, the intelligence of the hand. They remind us that making is thinking, that ideas don’t just happen in the mind but through touch, through process, through material.
Each artist creates in their own language using thread, fibre, and form, to tell stories of identity, memory, and experience. The work is thoughtful, skillful, and full of feeling. You can sense the care and depth in every piece.
What resonates so strongly for me is how this work connects past, present, and future. Craft here is not something preserved - it’s something lived. It evolves, adapts, and grows through the hands of those who practise it. This is something I see every day in my role at CSM and it’s what makes Prism’s work feel so vital and relevant.
Prism’s student mentoring programme is an equally important part of this story. It speaks to generosity, to shared knowledge, and to a commitment to supporting emerging voices. There’s a real sense of community, of people learning from one another and building something together.
Through their hands, materials find a voice. Through their work, we are reminded of why making matters. This exhibition is not just a celebration of skill and artistry, but of connection, continuity, and the enduring power of craft.
dic • tion • ar • y how FAB>U<LOUS!
FREE WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBITION
Throughout the exhibition PRISM members will be hosting free two-hour taster workshops, offering the chance to explore some of the techniques used by our members. From soft sculpture and mending to needle felting, patchwork, and vessel-making, these relaxed sessions are a great opportunity to experiment, learn something new, and get closer to the ideas and processes behind some of the work on show. There’s no need to book - first come, first served.
Friday 17 April 14:30 - !6:30
Nerissa Cargill-Thompson ‘Stitching Found Florals’
Participants will create textile artworks from sections of floral fabrics cut from old clothing; embellished with simple stitch and beading. All materials provided.
Maximum 12 participants. Age 18+ or 12+ if accompanied by an adult.
Sunday 19 April 14:30 – 16:30 Wolfgang Woerner ‘Exploring 3D shapes, Marks and Textures’
In this playful, hands-on workshop we will create simple 3D forms from cloth and wadding, then bring them to life with embroidery to make lively stitched creatures. You will explore a range of embroidery techniques, building up texture, colour and expressive line to create your own unique creature(s) to take home. All materials provided.
Suitable for beginners and all experience levels. Age 18+
Monday 20 April 11:30 – 13:30
Patti Taylor ‘Guerilla Darning and Visible Garment Repair’
Mending garments which have moth (or other) holes, using darning or patching. Guerilla darning is NOT invisible – the idea is that the repair becomes an integral and, hopefully, beautiful part of the garment. Participants should bring Any garments they want to mend. The tutor will bring some spares.
Maximum 12 participants. Age 18+
Wednesday 22 April 11:30 – 13:30
Maria Walker ‘Stitched Textile Vessels’
Using fabric and running stitch the participants will make a small, stitched textile bowl. All materials provided.
Maximum 10 participants. Age 16+
Wednesday 22 April 14:30 – 16:30
Julieanne Long ‘Needle Felted Picture Cards’
Using a felting needle and a range of pure wool felt, people will design and make small, felted pictures to which they can add stitching and various embellishments before gluing onto a card. All materials provided.
Maximum 12 participants. Age 10+
Friday 24 April 13:30 – 16:30
Annie Taylor ‘Scrappy Dolls’
Much of Annie’s work uses ever decreasing sizes of scrap fabric, offcuts from other work. These scraps have a beauty and character of their own, plus their irregular shapes suggest ideas to us. Using Annie’s scrap bin, participants will create a little figure to take away, and be inspired to think about how to use those offcuts creatively. Participants are asked to bring any scraps of fabric should they wish to, otherwise all material provided.
Maximum 8 participants. Age 12+
Saturday 25 April 11:30 – 13:30
Vivienne Beaumont ‘Relaxing Patchwork’
The Art of Slow Patchwork: stay for ten minutes or two hours to learn this skill. Discover the pleasure of keeping your hands busy while the mind rests. Join us to learn how to create something beautiful and meditative. All materials provided, although donations from members of block colour or small printed cotton fabrics would be most welcome.
Maximum 10 participants. Suitable for any age
Saturday 25 April 14:30 – 16:30
Sabine Kaner ‘Protect Your Glasses - Pens – Scissors’
This workshop invites participants to create a soft felt protective case using simple stitching and recycled materials. It connects to Sabine’s artwork ‘Protection’ by exploring how small textile gestures can safeguard the everyday, and carry emotional and material memory. Participants are asked to bring a small sewing kit which includes needles and scissors as well as fabric scraps (optional).
Maximum 6 participants. Age 13+
Sunday 26 April 14:30 – 16:30
Wolfgang Woerner ‘Exploring 3D shapes, Marks and Textures’
In this playful, hands-on workshop we will create simple 3D forms from cloth and wadding, then bring them to life with embroidery to make lively stitched creatures. You will explore a range of embroidery techniques, building up texture, colour and expressive line to create your own unique creature(s) to take home. All materials provided.
Suitable for beginners and all experience levels. 18+
EMBROIDERY MAGAZINE FEATURE
Embroidery Magazine Mar/Apr 2026 issue is out now!
As winter softens into spring, the new March/April issue of @embroidery_mag is upbeat about where textile art is heading. The current issue has our Chair, Wolfgang Woerner as one of the featured artists. The magazine also offers a piece on our upcoming exhibition DICTIONARY, which opens on 17 April at the Art Pavilion.
The current issue will be available to purchase in our exhibition shop.
SOCIETY OF DESIGNER CRAFTSMEN
Join the SDC on Saturday 18 April 2026 for 'SDC Celebrates Collaboration' – an inspirational day dedicated to exploring meaningful collaboration. SDC events aim to spark curiosity, encourage conversation, and deepen appreciation for materials and craft. In addition to artist talks, there will be live demonstrations and a craft showcase where you can mingle with other makers and craft enthusiasts over coffee. Lunch and refreshments are included in the ticket price. More Information
SPEAKERS: Emma Lacey - ceramics, Christine Spencer MSDC - stitched textiles Simon Jewell FSDC - box maker and Alice Kettle (Hon) FSDC - stitched textiles
SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2026 10:30 - 17:00
MARLIN WATERLOO, 111 Westminster Bridge Road LONDON SE I 7HR
PRISM is a vibrant group of 64 textile artists dedicated to exchanging ideas, developing skills, and exhibiting work at a professional level. Membership call-outs take place every two years.
Learn more about our mission and upcoming opportunities by clicking here.