Instagram story viewer> @jennycsteele> Posts

Jenny Steele

@jennycsteele

4K

followers

7099

following

Artist. Current: Women in Print @ntlakedistrict Craft, History & Healing @uniofleicester Upcoming: MOW @cjc_center_gabrovo @contextile_biennial

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Gorton Rush Cart, 2024, Jenny Steele & Gorton Weavers

Willow, daffodil leaves, crocus leaves, rushes ex industrial yarn and ribbons, wood, antique Rochdale rush cart. 2m x 80cm x 1.5m

@contextile_biennial 5th September - 29th November 2026

Images of the Gorton Rush Cart woven sculpture in this years International Exhibition at @contextile_biennial in Guimaraes, Portugal. It was such an honour to be included in this incredible exhibition alongside so many talented international artists, in such a beautiful gallery space in Palacio Vila Flor.

Contextile 2026 selected 54 works from artists from 51 countries, from 2036 artworks in response to the open call for the International Exhibition. The jury was a multidisciplinary team that includes Lala de Dios (curator, textile artist), Magda Soboń (visual artist and art teacher), Magali Junet (curator at the Fondation Toms Pauli, Lausanne), Susana Pires (visual artist and lecturer), Lewis Biggs (consultant and curator) and Cláudia Melo (artistic director and curator of Contextile 2026).

The Jury gathered in person on the 9th and 10th April in Guimarães, Portugal, and, following a long and arduous evaluation process selected 54 works by 51 artists (from accordance with the criteria set out in the competition rules (high creativity, originality and technical skill in relation to the textile element, construction, theme, concept or material used), as well as the theme and concept of Contextile 2026: ‘By a Thread_Por um Fio’.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#sculpture #textiles #weaving #contextilebiennial #textileart taken in Palacio Vila Flor, Guimaraes by @jennycsteele

3

7

a month ago

Yesterday was such a beautiful and fun day sharing the Wound and Woven Maypole at Midsummer Festival @culturemiltonkeynes

Over the day the 4.7m tall ‘maypole’ was woven with textile ribbons from woven colour baskets. Everyone could make wound tassels from a range of brightly coloured yarns and ribbons, which they could attach to the sculpture as it grew and collect them at the end of the day, or take home straight away.

The textile sculpture took on a life of its own throughout the Summer Solstice. People interpreted the weaving in so many different ways, creating webs, braiding and connections that mimicked existing parts or created new ones. As the day moved on, the textiles, which really began to resemble a clootie well, blew and moved in the wind.

Huge thanks to the hundreds of people who took part so enthusiastically, many returning at different points in the day to make more ❤️

Massive thanks the Midsummer Festival & MK Culture Commissioning team for such a lovely and highly organised opportunity in this friendly, creative festival. Very special thanks to Kathryn, Elsie, Kylie & other stewards who helped out making with visitors, Tom Antell for building this sturdy sculpture and of course my multitalented husband. It truly was a wonderful summer solstice to remember 🌞
.
.
.
.
.

#textiles #sculpture #art #midsummerfestival #weaving taken in Milton Keynes - Midsummer Boulevard by @jennycsteele

3

38

4 months ago

This Saturday is @rogueartists_studios 30th year open studios. What an achievement! Open 12-8pm with exhibitions on ground and first floor project spaces too.

You will be able to view both the woven sculptures ‘Charon’ and ‘Gorton Rush Cart’ in the first floor assembly space from my recent project Rituals for Tomorrow. It’s lovely to have them out together.

I am in Germany for the @metamorphosis_of_workwear project performance and project launch so my studio won’t be open but do bob along if you can to support fellow Rogue artists for what will definitely be a fun and inspiring day.

.
.
.
.
.
.
#art #sculpture #weaving #woven #weaver #yarn #ritualsfortomorrow #rituals #publicart #passementerie #sculptural by @jennycsteele

3

9

a year ago

There’s still time until the 29 November, to visit @contextile_biennial in Guimaraes, Portugal. I’m delighted that the Gorton Rush Cart is included in the International Exhibition.

I love these images as you can see the wheels which are often hidden by the skirt when you look at it from standing up.

Gorton Rush Cart, 2024
Woven cotton, wool, willow, grasses, rush, ribbons, daffodil leaves, wooden cart.

Contextile 2026 - Contemporary Textile Art Biennial

Vila Flor Palace of the CCVF
Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques 701
Guimarães
Portugal

Until 29 November 2026
Open Tues- Sun

Jenny Steele’s woven sculpture Gorton Rush Cart, 2024 is included in the International exhibition in Contextile Biennial 2026 in Guimarães, Portugal.

Over 85 days, CONTEXTILE brings together artists, communities, and audiences in a multidisciplinary program of exhibitions, artistic residencies, performances, workshops, talks, and educational activities, occupying various cultural spaces and public areas of the city.

Contextile in its 8th edition, is once again occupying the city’s main cultural spaces with the institutional support of the Municipality of Guimaraes, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Portugal and European Green Capital 2026.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#sculpture #weaving #textiles #textileart #contextilebiennial taken in Palacio Vila Flor, Guimaraes by @jennycsteele

3

5

a day ago

Favourite Skirt, 2026
Woven willow, cotton, wool, ribbon, braiding, sewn fabric
110cm x 50cm (at widest)

A huge thank you to @jenorpinpainter and @margaretcahillartist for organising this years Rogue Women exhibition @rogue_women and a special thank you to Eleanor Clayton @eleanorclaytone for taking the time to guest curate this years exhibition so beautifully.

I’m very happy to have this woven sculpture, Favourite Skirt, included in the group exhibition. There will be an opening event tomorrow afternoon 2-6pm, would love to see you there. More details are below.

ROGUE WOMEN 5

Rogue Artists’ Studios CIC
2-6 Barrass Street
Manchester, M11 1PU

Opening Event Saturday 10 October 2-6pm
Exhibition runs from Sat 10 Oct to Sun 25 Oct
Open Saturday & Sunday 12pm - 4pm
Weekdays by appointment only

We’re really proud to present our annual exhibition of 40 women artists from Rogue Studios.

Our exhibition aims to create wider connections within the arts community whilst supporting and bringing together the huge wealth of talent from women in the arts.

Every year we invite guest artists from around the UK, this year we have 13 joining our exhibition and they are; Susan Absolon, Carolyn Blake, Pippa Blake, Lesley Bunch, Ula Fung, Caroline Gorick, Roxana Halls, Ruth Heaton, Marie Lenclos, Yeside Linney, Yasaman Mollasalehi, Jude Wainright and Lois Wallace.

We are pleased to welcome our guest curator this year, Eleanor Clayton, Senior Curator and Head of Collection and Exhibitions at The Hepworth Wakefield.

Rogue Women is organised and co-curated by Jen Orpin and Margaret Cahill. We’d love for you to join us for our opening event on Saturday 10 Oct 2 - 6pm.

All welcome, free entry, wheelchair accessible and refreshments will be served.

.
.
.
.
.
.
#sculpture #weaving #basketry #textiles #groupexhibition taken in Rogue Artists' Studios & Project Space CIC by @jennycsteele

3

2

4 days ago

These were some of the many beautiful plaited wreaths that were made by many hands during the Croydon Harvest/ Walnut Fair last weekend with @culturecroydon

From the five colour coded bins - red, green, brown, purple and yellow, people could pick up to fifteen pieces of cut fabric to plait a wreath. Some made thinner ones (especially when we were running out of fabric on day two due to popularity!) but most rose to the challenge and made a lovely chunky wreath with fifteen strands.

In participatory projects, I always like having a structure but then having a lot of elements of choice, and beautiful materials too, so it is an enjoyable and sensorial experience. Many people took the time to plan and consider their colours and materials behind they finished with ribbons and attached to the Harvest Moon, Harvest Home sculpture, wore it, or took it home.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#textiles #sculpture #publicart #installation #croydonharvest taken in Croydon Clocktower by @jennycsteele

3

0

5 days ago

What an incredible time I had at Croydon Harvest & Walnut Fair this past weekend with @culturecroydon

The sculpture, Harvest Moon, Harvest Home in Katharine Street, outside Croydon Town Hall, was a participatory work, where people could plait their own harvest wreaths. I think over 700 wreaths were plaited over the weekend from discarded textiles from a bedding factory, fabric sales and donations. We completely ran out of materials mid afternoon on Sunday, which has never happened to me before!

Participants could attach their plaited wreaths to the sculpture or take them away to hang elsewhere or wear, which was the most common choice.

It was lovely seeing the fervour and enjoyment for plaiting and reusing materials, as well as working together. Often one person would hold the end, and another would braid. I would say our youngest participant were around 3 up to 80 years of age, it was truly wonderful to see everyone have so much enjoyment and creative satisfaction 🍂💚

Huge thanks to @culturecroydon for commissioning me to make this new work for this celebratory event.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#textileart #publicart #artinstallation #textiles #sculpture taken in Croydon Town Hall by @jennycsteele

3

7

6 days ago

An incredible first day at Croydon Harvest and Walnut Fair @culturecroydon

We helped several hundred people make harvest wreaths with a range of discarded multicultural fabrics to attach to the Harvest Moon, Harvest Home sculpture. Others took them home to hang up, wore them on their head or around their waist, even attach to their clothing.

I couldn’t quite believe the hunger and excitement for selecting fabric and plaiting throughout the day. We had many returnees over the afternoon too.

We will be there 12-5pm again on Sunday 4th tomorrow, or until we run out of materials!

Huge thanks to @culturecroydon for this having me at the lovely event 🍂🫶🏽 Everyone has been a delight.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#textiles #textileart #sculpture #croydonharvest #plaiting taken in Croydon Town Hall by @jennycsteele

3

13

10 days ago

It’s just a few days now until Harvest Festival @culturecroydon in Croydon Town Centre ⭕️ 🍂

Here are some close up photographs of the Harvest Moon, Harvest Home sculpture which you can take part in creating by making a plaited wreath with discarded textiles over the weekend.

Harvest Moon, Harvest Home will be on Katherine Street on Saturday 3rd October - Sunday 4th
October 12-5pm.

Join us in Croydon’s town centre for an autumn weekend of outdoor arts, live music, folk traditions, family fun and unexpected encounters. This will be a multicultural celebration of connection with both nature and our community.

Find out more at @culturecroydon

#CroydonHarvest #CultureCroydon #textiles #weaving #publicart taken in Croydon, United Kingdom by @jennycsteele

3

3

12 days ago

I’ve been wanting to make a work that included plaiting for a long time, so when the opportunity came up for Croydon Harvest @culturecroydon I was really excited. This could be it!

I’ve used plaiting in different textile works and sculptures before, both using textiles and plants. I’ve incorporated smaller versions of plaiting in workshops as well, and I’m always really interested in how people take to it. I find it often brings up stories and personal memories. Sometimes people forget how to do it, and then they pick it up again like riding a bike. Very commonly people go into a zone and say how relaxing it is.

I like how universal braiding is. I have had workshop participants who could speak very little English but knew what to do from demonstrating and diagrams. Men took out photos of their young daughters and showed me that they plaited their hair, which was very moving.

In the participatory sculpture, we will create wreaths made from plaiting over fifteen strips of discarded fabric. The wreaths will build up on the structure to create a ‘Harvest Home’, the historic name in Scottish and English to describe an abundant spread of foods and collected items celebrated with a party, for the colder months ahead.

Please do join us for Harvest Moon, Harvest Home to make a plaited wreath.

Harvest Moon, Harvest Home will be on Katharine Street on Saturday 3rd October and Sunday 4th
October 12-5pm.

Join us in Croydon’s town centre for an autumn weekend of outdoor arts, live music, folk traditions, family fun and unexpected encounters. This will be a multicultural celebration of connection with both nature and our community.

Find out more at @culturecroydon

.
.
.
.

#CroydonHarvest #croydon #textiles #installation #publicart taken in Croydon Town Centre by @jennycsteele

3

2

17 days ago

I’ve been squirrelled away in the studio recently creating a new participatory textile installation, ‘Harvest Moon, Harvest Home’ for the Harvest Festival in Croydon Town Centre next weekend 3/4th October @culturecroydon

Croydon Harvest Festival was formerly known as the Walnut Fair, was full of revelry, pleasure and walnut trading, as the year turned from summer to autumn. The fair which started in 1314, and ended is 1868, is reimagined in a new festival with circus, theatre, dance, music, public art and creative workshops.

You can join me to make a plaited textile harvest wreath from a range of textiles that you attach to a large circular sculpture that celebrates the turning of the moon. The discarded textiles come from a range of cultures, which you can braid together to add to the Harvest Moon, Harvest Home.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#textiles #installation #publicart #textileart #harvest taken in Croydon Town Centre by @jennycsteele

3

11

19 days ago

Coil (tight), 2025 (left to right)
39 x 28 cm
Blind emboss of hand wound cord on Somerset satin
1/1 Original print

Coil (loose), 2025
39cm x 28cm
Blind emboss of hand wound cord on Somerset satin
1/1 Original print

Both prints were created during my Women in Print residency @artlabcps

These two prints are included in the current group exhibition, Proceed with Caution @rogueartists_studios across Rogue Project Space and Platform Space. The group exhibition of Rogue studio members was kindly selected and curated by @whitakermuseum Director @gaynorseville

The exhibition is available to view until this Sunday 27th September by appointment, with viewing hours this Saturday 12-4pm.

With thanks to the Rogue Open Studios Steering Commitee for planning and organisation of this exhibition across two floors.

.
.
.
.
.
.
#textiles #printmaking #emboss #groupexhibition #originalprint taken in Rogue Artists' Studios & Project Space CIC by @jennycsteele

3

0

20 days ago