The modernist textiles of Beryl Dean

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June Hill, co-curator of a new show of Beryl Dean's work, talks to Frances Follin

The intricate, modernist embroidery of Beryl Dean MBE (1911–2002) is on show at the RDS, Dublin (10 to 13 November) and in the International Halls, Harrogate (24 to 27 November). Frances Follin asked one of the curators, June Hill, about Beryl Dean’s life and work.

Frances Follin: What was Beryl Dean’s background? How did she come to be involved in ecclesiastical embroidery? Did she see it as a natural progression from earlier work for theatre, or as a complete break from that?

June Hill: Beryl Dean excelled at needlework and art from a young age. She wanted to pursue an artistic career although her parents did not immediately approve. Opportunities were relatively limited when she left school in 1929 so she went to study at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) – she described it as the next best thing to studying art. She took a three-year teacher training diploma there and valued the needlework instruction but was frustrated at the focus on technique rather than creative expression. When she left she applied for a teaching post at an art school, which she didn't get but the interviewer (an HM Inspector) saw her potential and encouraged her to study as a student at Bromley College of Art under the tuition of Elizabeth Grace Thomson. (Both were influential arts educators as well as embroiderers – Thomson had trained as a painter). Beryl Dean supported herself by part-time teaching and really blossomed under Thomson’s teaching. She was introduced to Rebecca Crompton (a highly influential embroiderer who had taught Thomson) and together they became her mentors. Thomson introduced her to wider art practice in Europe and Crompton influenced her approach to stitch.  From Bromley, Dean won a Royal Exhibition to the Royal College of Art and became increasingly rooted in modernist thinking and an art approach to embroidery.

After the RCA she spent some time teaching in FE/HE and also set up a small haute couture workshop. Then in 1952, she was approached by the Needlework Development Scheme to produce some work for them. That set her thinking and she perceived that ecclesiastical embroidery had not been affected by the changes taking place in secular embroidery – there was no modern influence aside from a few examples in continental Europe (notably Le Corbusier’s chapel and Matisse’s work at Vance). Her training at the RSN had taught her the history and stitch of ecclesiastical embroidery, so she knew its heritage and also its traditional close link with developments in secular stitch. The post-war reconstruction in the UK was a stimulus to the building of new iconic modern churches (Liverpool/Coventry). Artists were commissioned to create work for them (Graham Sutherland, John Piper, etc.) and she felt very strongly that textiles within the buildings should be of a modern design too.  The growth of the Liturgical Movement also influenced both the buildings and the textiles within them.  Altars moved into the body of the church and the priest turned to face the people – which meant people could see both the front and back of their vestments – and that had implications for their decoration. Theatre design had given her experience of working on a large scale and with people moving across a static scene and also of working in collaboration with other practitioners – something she valued. She worked with Sir Basil Spence and Anthony Blee (architects of Coventry Cathedral) and George Pace (another influential modernist architect). They consulted with her and she worked designs for them.

So, her work in ecclesiastical embroidery was a form of natural progression – she saw the need and the potential and decided to focus on that.  It was for her a means of increasing awareness of the modern developments in stitch and promoting it as an art form. This was an area where the best was expected and for which the finest of artists had produced work – she relished that challenge. Also, she saw the links with modernist practice – the expressive use of colour (liturgical seasons each have their own colour), abstract imagery and symbolism.

FF: Why is Beryl Dean so important in the development of 20^th century embroidery?

I think we have yet to understand the full impact of her on embroidery and this exhibition is part of that process of re-evaluation. She has for years been rather neglected and overlooked. I would say the following areas are important, but hope that others will see more.

First, she was a great advocate for embroidery as a creative medium at a crucial stage in its development. Ideas were emphasized – the importance was communicating a message rather than perfect execution (although she believed in well-crafted making). She lacked the radical artistic innovation of Rebecca Crompton but dedicated her life to pursuing these ideas and educating others in the principles of modern design.  She curated a series of major exhibitions that featured modern work and linked each to a major publication (she did nine in all), which explained its principles. These attracted national media coverage (1968 New Ecclesiastical Embroidery at St Paul’s) and challenged people’s perspectives of stitch.

Secondly, she encouraged many people to get involved in making themselves – through her own teaching (as sessional tutor at Hammersmith College of Art and the Stanhope Institute). A good number of these students themselves became influential in the field. She also encouraged people to get involved at grassroots level – encouraging a form of movement – in which voluntary groups at parish level made textiles for their own church. Her publications were also influential in this as they equipped people to create modern designs for themselves. This participation mirrored changes in the Church itself (increased involvement of laity) and were highly influential in encouraging broader participation in and awareness of, cotemporary stitch.

Thirdly, her own work is important – she had major commission for venues of national importance. She was ambitious in the scale and content of her work and encouraged others to be likewise. She was unconventional (almost iconoclastic) in her use of materials and stitch, which also affected the work of others.

Beryl Dean saw embroidery in the broader context of what was taking place in contemporary thinking and art practice. She also helped promote the role of the designer-maker – working on an equally footing with her collaborators.

FF: What techniques did she use?  Did she develop new techniques of textile embellishment or conversely resurrect old ones that had fallen out of use?

She was renowned as the finest needlewoman of her day – someone for whom anything was possible. She used many different techniques – but only that which was appropriate to communicating the message she wanted to express in each work. She excelled at goldwork – something she loved partly for its technical complexity and the challenge it presented – but also as a medium for drawing with light. She did enjoy some of the techniques that were on the verge of obsolescence – again because of their challenge – or nué in particular. That was an intricate technique where colour was applied onto gold – she did several pieces using this form of stitch. It is very difficult stitch though, so not something that would ever become widely used.

Her great contribution was making unusual combinations of stitches when this was not common practice, as well as in her use of materials at a time when attitudes in the field could be quite restrictive. She encouraged the use of artificial modern materials and a range of others, in particular Thai silk for its colour qualities. She also used raphia, parachute string and cellophane.

She worked intuitively – in response to the materials.

FF: Churches face falling numbers of regular attenders. Is there a funding problem for this sort of work, nowadays?

I am not an authority on this aspect– I watched the Royal Wedding with interest to see what I could learn from that – and of course we had trees…There is still some work done but not to the extent – or possibly energy – of Beryl Dean during her heyday. I think this reflects a complex picture surrounding issues of how the message is communicated and forms of modern worship. From the 1970s onwards there has been a major movement in modern church music, and for a time a growth in the performing arts (drama). Also, there are different forms of churchmanship and in some vestments, etc. are not so central. In terms of embroidery, there are also other places in which work can now be placed.

It would be interesting to establish if there are groups/individuals influenced by the relational aesthetic /craft activism movements working at a parish level, as community engagement has become an increasing focus for ministry.

FF: A lot of people will not be aware of the very imaginative and challenging work that has been done in ecclesiastical embroidery in the 20^th century – the exhibition will be an eye-opener. What are you hoping to achieve as a result?

From the outset we said we wanted to re-present Beryl Dean to a new generation. I am conscious from my limited experience of curating this exhibition, that many people do not now know her work and those who do have preconceptions about it and her. I would like people to see beyond that to understand the context in which she worked and the underlying principles that motivated her – many of which are pertinent to contemporary debate.  Also from that perhaps to consider the inherent danger of preconceptions – wherever they are focused.

FF: Thank you for talking to  Cassone, June, I hope many people will be introduced to Beryl Dean’s work during the exhibition’s tour.