62 Group of Textile Artists

The 62 Group of Textile Artists is an international group of professional textile artists founded in the United Kingdom in 1962.^[1] The group is a Constituted Artists Co-operative, focussed on exhibiting the work of its members in the UK and overseas. Membership of the group is achieved through a selection process. The 62 Group requires members to submit work to a selection panel of their peers for every exhibition "If members fail to submit, or are rejected for three successive exhibitions, then membership is forfeited...a policy which ensures that the group consistently produces exciting work."^[2] The increased profile of textile art and its evolution in the latter part of the 20th century "has to a great extent been dictated by members of the 62 Group."^[3]

The main objectives^[4] of the group are:

• To promote Textile Art in major national and international venues
• To provide facilities for its members to exhibit and sell their work
• To create opportunities for the growth and exchange of ideas
• To encourage the exploration of new directions
• To encourage links with international textile groups
• To promote and encourage greater awareness of textile art through education

Founding members Alison Erridge (née Liley), Jennifer Gray and Joy Clucas invited a group of embroidery teachers to attend a meeting at The Embroiderers' Guild in London in November 1962.^[5] They were concerned about the limited professional opportunities available to embroidery graduates at the time. Contemporary embroidery was hard to find and there was little written about it.^[6] The first meeting brought together people from a wide range of backgrounds. Embroidery graduates were frustrated because galleries would not take work "if they thought it was a woman's hobby".^[7] The 62 Group "came really up out of several students from colleges determined to get it [embroidery] shown"^[7] The meeting also included Audrey Tucker, Pat Scrase, Judy Barry and Marie Shawcross.^[5] This meeting created a formal link with the Embroiderers' Guild and at this point, any embroiderer could become a member.^[5] Early in the group's existence (1964–65), members realised that the open membership created problems with the quality and consistency of work submitted for exhibitions. It was around this time that selection for membership and exhibitions was instigated and became a fundamental principle of the constitution. This shift also brought about a change to the group's title, as they became 'The Professional Group of the Embroiderers' Guild'.^[5]

The first exhibition was remembered by Audrey Walker: "It consisted mostly of small framed panels but the quality of the drawing, design and the subject matter was really remarkable".^[8] Walker reflects 'I thought, this is amazing. Why don't I know about this?' By 1965, she had joined the 62 Group and was exhibiting. 'Jan Beaney was terrific, she insisted I joined. It was wonderful to have the support of this group. To share a passion.'^[9]

The Group was then sponsored by the Art Exhibitions Bureau, an organisation which toured exhibitions throughout the UK. This enabled the group to reach a wider public and to make sales of artwork. The increased pressure to produce artwork became a problem and so touring finished after two years.^[5] Following this the group were successful in securing exhibitions at London venues including The Royal Festival Hall (1967), The Victoria & Albert Museum (1970 and 1972), the Commonwealth Institute (1972) and TUC Congress House (1970 and 1972). This period helped to establish a regular programme of exhibitions for the group.

Twenty years after the group was first founded members recognised that the term 'embroidery' was limiting to the scope of the group and the decision was made to open membership to artists of any textile discipline. Formal ties with the Embroiderers' Guild were severed and the group was renamed 'The 62 Group of Textile Artists'.^[5] A 1997 review of The 62 Group exhibition 'The Language of Touch' questions if, after broadening the range of textiles disciplines, "one wonders if it is not also too diverse. Does the backbone of embroiderers and stitchers wish to be faced with competition from, for example, classic tapestry weavers? It is not absolutely clear where the group will go from here."^[1] An article in Fibrearts mentions the same exhibition and comments that "The extraction of old ideas and injection of new ideas were of benefit. The result was a leaner, stronger body of work than had been seen before. The avant-garde was made up of new members."^[6]

Throughout the 62 Group's history, many members have been teachers, lecturers and academics, influencing the future of textile art through their support for textiles in arts education: "we have had a major influence in expanding the acceptance of experimental textiles into the general curriculum in schools, colleges and universities".^[10] The group's members have also contributed to publishing about contemporary textiles in journals such as World of Embroidery (now Embroidery) and Crafts and have also published books on the subject.^[6]

Between 1963 and 2011 The 62 Group held 85 exhibitions, mainly in the UK but also in Japan, Israel and Netherlands.^[5] The group usually has at least one exhibition per year.

Membership of The 62 Group is by selection. Potential new members apply to the group with examples of their work, and a committee of existing members chooses whether to accept the applicants on the basis of the selection criteria. The membership changes each year as new members join and others leave but usually remains fairly consistent at around 50 exhibiting members.^[17] While the group was originally established in the UK, membership is now international with members in the Netherlands, Hungary, South Africa and Japan.

Sources:^[18][19]