'Garland' at MYB Textiles

A one-person exhibition of paintings at the Lace Mills of Morton Young and Borland (MYB). The aim of the research was to reflect through painting and drawing processes pictorial aspects of lace design. The company was founded in 1900 in the Irvine Valley of Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1913 MYB Textiles invested in Nottingham lace Looms. MYB Textiles is now the only producer in the world manufacturing patterned lace with original Nottingham Lace Looms. This manufacturing process is extremely labor intensive. The methods employed by Kathleen through painting and drawing aim to mimic the structure of the lace. This group of paintings was achieved and developed in terms of enlarging the original lace structure and painting this on an architectural scale. The rationale for investigating the painting process in this context is to construct a pictorial handmade series of painted pattern formations. To accompany the exhibition Kathleen has also been working with Emma Dick to record the painting process and the textile pattern in an artist’s book.
ISBN978 1 85924 533 0

The exhibition was displayed in the working environment of the textiles mill. The exhibition opened to coincide with the V&A Dundee ’Design in Motion’ visit to MYB Textiles on the 4 June 2015. The Transmission Gallery, MYB Textiles, the Dick Institute, Dean Castle and the Timorous Beasties now hold the Artists’ Book ‘Garland’.
Morton Young and Borland Ltd was founded in 1900 in the Irvine Valley of Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1913 the company invested in Nottingham Lace Looms, enabling them to present a larger variety of products to their clients. Over the past 20 years, Morton Young and Borland have developed the MYB Textiles name, adding a contemporary edge to their proud heritage. With a reputation built on the specialist skills and traditions prevalent in its products, maintaining these niche skills continues to be of paramount importance going forward. They thrive as the last remaining mill in the area due to their passion for continuing the lace and madras production tradition with the aid of new forms of product development and innovation.