Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles

Image: Print impression for Phoebus, by. Mitzi Cunliffe for Liberty, screen-printed pigment on paper, 1959. Design is copyright © Liberty Fabric Limited [1959].

Lovely news from Liberty and the William Morris Gallery!

From October, William Morris Gallery is presenting Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles. Conceived in partnership with Liberty Fabrics on the occasion of the design house’s 150th anniversary, this major exhibition will highlight the pivotal role and contributions of women textile designers.

Tracing the rich history of Liberty fabrics, the exhibition will survey the evolving influence and status of women in textiles over the past 150 years. Women in Print will bring together iconic patterns by designers such as Althea McNish, Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell,and Lucienne Day, alongside previously overlooked names. It will feature over 100 works, spanning garments, fabric, original designs, film and historic photographs.

Women in Print is curated by Rowan Bain, Principal Curator of Collections and Programme and Roisin Inglesby, Curator William Morris Gallery, with exhibition design by Simon Milthorp, Lai Couto and Scarlet Winter.

Women in Print is part of William Morris Gallery’s 75th anniversary programme.

Dates: Saturday 18 October 2025 - Sunday 21 June 2026

Read more:

https://www.wmgallery.org.uk/event/women-in-print

Bespoke pieces from Hart Gold and Silversmiths

Hart Gold and Silversmiths, Guild of Handicrafts, Chipping Campden. Photo: AP

So beautiful. Some items in the workshop, individually created to order for collectors from original Arts & Crafts pattern books. Loved seeing them in person!

History of Elouera SLSC's Fifty Years

So pleased to see my work with Elouera Surf Club up on their website Elouera History  I wrote it for /with them a few years ago, working with our very own Blue Cockatoo designer, Elouera surf lifesaver Peter. (See my photo with the history committee on page 216 of the pdf!) It was a fun commission and fantastic to work with some of Australia's surfing legends. 

Update: So moving to see lifesavers around Australia's beaches standing shoulder to shoulder for their Bondi family after the recent terrorist attack.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach, 13 December, 2025. ©AP

Icebergs pool, Bondi, 13 December, 2025.©AP 

Saturday: Showing iconic Bondi and the Icebergs' pool to Ken's grandson, water polo-playing Zac.

Sunday: A killing field. No words,

See Spain Differently in 2026

So delighted to meet representatives of Spain Tourism at a breakfast this morning at Paripe Spanish Tapas Bar, Sydney. 

We talked about areas including Galicia and Basque Country, as well as Malaga, Catalunya, Andalucia,  Madrid and, of course, Barcelona, where the tallest tower of the basilica of Sagrada Familia is nearing completion. (The recent addition of part of a cross to the tower in the ongoing works has now made Sagrada the tallest church in the world.)

Slow travel is trending on Spain's tourism menu for 2026 and, having enjoyed Seville and Zaragoza on an unplanned visit in June this year, I'm totally inspired to return to experience more sides of Spain. 

Think wandering through medieval streets and artisan quarters, eating with local producers and discovering regional flavours. Also staying longer to participate in workshops, traditions and cultural rituals, explore Spain's stunning National parks, UNESCO sites, and rural villages. 

Love Spanish Tourism's logo (see below), happy and energetic like Spain itself!  And yes, the tapas at Paripe were delicious!

More on the website here:

Spain Tourism

Sagrada Familia BBC update

Seville (Link to my blog post.)

Hotel Boutique Elvira Plaza rooftop, Seville, June 2025. Photo: AP

Wild & Inspired; ASTW Anthology

 

ASTW Anthology: ©ASTW

Thrilled to have a piece chosen for this milestone publication for the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW). It's a personal story on revisiting my home county of Devon, England, and Cornwall, first published in the beautiful Travel & Living,  I'm especially pleased because it's a personal piece rather than a destination promo. Thank you so much ASTW editors for including me in this illustrious company of writers. Humbled and proud.