MTU Crawford College of Art & Design

What is the course about?

This course explores the creative and expressive qualities of textiles materials and methods within 2D & 3D applications in art practices. Students utilise visual source material imaginatively to direct textile experimentation. The course explores the formal qualities of line, shape, colour, texture, pattern, as an expressive language through a range of textile processes. Students learn how to use dyes and paints and study various forms of printing including monoprinting, transfer printing, jelly printing and silk screen printing. Students also learn about dye techniques batik and shibori. The course emphasises machine stitching and hand stitching used to embellish the textile artwork. Construction techniques, including fabric construction, cast paper making, 3D felt making, heat forming with synthetics, weaving, basketry, off-loom construction, knitting, crochet, lace are also explored.

Download the course FAQ pdf here

Tutor Profile

Claire Anne O’Brien is a textile practitioner specialising in constructed textiles techniques such as knit, weave and basketry. Central to her practice is the interplay between materials and technique resulting in an ongoing series of playful investigations exploring repurposed waste and sustainable fibres.This hands - on, experimental approach reimagines traditional textile structures through material, colour and scale. Applications have included product, installation and fabrics as well as a range of knitted wool furniture.

Claire Anne has exhibited at London Design Festival, Milan Furniture Fair, Wool Modern, New York Design Week, Dutch Design Week and Spinexpo. She received the Future Maker Award from the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland in 2011 and the Cockpit Arts & Haberdashers’ Award in 2015.

Originally from County Cork, she studied textile design at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London where she set up her practice in 2010. Alongside her practice, she has lectured at universities in the UK including Bath Spa School of Art & Design and Nottingham Trent University before returning to live in her home Cork in 2023.

Course Accreditation

These part-time, evening courses provide students with an opportunity to experience the potential of visual arts practice, through sustained engagement with materials, techniques, processes, research and art contexts.  Each course is an accredited module (5 credits) on the National Framework of Qualifications, where 60 credits equate to the workload of a full-time academic year on a degree programme.  It may be possible, therefore, to use these credits as part of one of our full-time programmes in the Department of Fine Art and Applied Art.  Students interested in pursuing this option should contact crawford.enquiries@mtu.ie and bear in mind that they would need to submit work for assessment at the end of the module.

Contact

Course Enquiries:
crawford.enquiries@mtu.ie

For more information & to apply:
https://www.cit.ie/course/CRACCXXA7