Giant Barrow textile celebrates town life with 80 images
A grand fabric artwork brings Barrow-in-Furness to life, featuring 80 images of the town’s people, places, and history, created by local artists.
A large textile artwork brings Barrow-in-Furness to life, turning the town’s memories into fabric. It uses a classic pattern style called toile de Jouy to present 80 scenes from Barrow’s life and landmarks.
Created by local artists
Artists Karen Evans and Maddy Humberstone collaborated with Theatre Factory to create the giant cloth. It currently hangs in the group’s Cookes Building base on Abbey Road in Barrow, a Grade II listed site.
The pair, who studied together over thirty years ago, say residents have fallen in love with the project and see it as a fitting tribute to Barrow.
Evans told INLIBER Radio Cumbria that toile de Jouy is a traditional French textile design that suits this project because Barrow deserves celebration. Humberstone notes that the form typically includes nine images, but their piece grew to 80 as they received more ideas from the community.
Illustrations include Chewie the Chewitsaurus, a nod to Chewits’ 1980s TV advert filmed in Barrow; an Arctic tern; the Bon Bon sweet shop once run by Betty Wilkinson and Wynn Dawson; plus portraits of Dave Day in memory of Hairy Biker Dave Myers (died February 2024). The piece also features Barrow AFC and Barrow Raiders teams and the Barrow Underground Music Society.
As the backdrop for Theatre Factory’s IF! Inclusion drama festival, the artwork will also be reproduced on cushions, tote bags and makeup bags. Evans said a friend cried upon seeing it, and someone even suggested turning it into curtains. She joked about making a dress inspired by the design.
The two artists first met at Barrow Sixth Form College in 1993 to study textiles. Evans called the collaboration a joy and said the work feels like a true celebration of a wonderful town, with many hidden details inviting viewers to spot familiar places they love.
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Expert view
Textile art experts say projects like this show how local heritage can be shared through contemporary crafts, strengthening community pride. The collaboration also demonstrates how artists can work closely with a town to preserve its stories.
Summary
The Barrow project transforms 80 town images into a single large fabric piece, turning local history into art. It will be displayed at Theatre Factory and reproduced on everyday items, sparking conversations about Barrow’s identity and memory.
Key takeaway: A single, 80-image toile de Jouy turns Barrow’s history into a community celebration, proving textile art can capture local identity.
Source: BBC News
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