Stories

Hampshire Cultural Trust, which looks after more than 20 museums and art centres across the county of Hampshire, is leading a new cultural initiative commissioning creatives to create textile designs inspired by the history of the surrounding area and artefacts in it Creative Collections.

The Arts Council-funded Creative Commercial Collections project sees institutions such as Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton and the National Motor Museum Trust at Beaulieu collaborate with creatives including Tori McLean, Simon Harmer, Claire Gaudion, Mariska Parent and Timorous Beasties to create different textile designs inspired by objects owned by the Trust.

Some of the furthcoming designns being created are inspired by the National Motor Museum’s land speed record-breaking Golden Arrow racecar, the well, bakehouse and kitchen in Jane Austen’s House Museum, the sails of Bursledon Windmill, Jane Austen's purse and pelise coat.  Tori McLean is taking inspiration from Heywood Sumner's Chace Tapestry which was made by the William Morris studio.  Her pieces will be a contemporary take on this famous work of the Arts and Crafts movement.  Tori was invited to participate after seeing her textile designs skills on display at Top Drawer.  This is a large commission for 10 designers and is part funded by the Arts Council.