An exciting touring exhibition opens at Farfield Mill in May. [i][b]Mechanical Drawing - the Schiffli Project[/i][/b]features the work of 15 artists: Rowena Ardern, Jill Boyes, Nigel Cheney, Isabel Dibden Wright, Stephen Dixon, Nina Edge, Kate Egan, Rozanne Hawksley, Alice Kettle, Jane McKeating, Melanie Miller, Sally Morfill, Susan Platt, Lynn Setterington and Alison Welsh. The artists have used an historic embroidery machine, the 100-year-old Schiffli, a multi-needle embroidery machine that can mechanically stitch repeat patterns over a 2-metre piece of cloth and is the last remaining of its kind, to produce their work. These historic machines were used exensively during the 19th & 20th centuries to produce decorative embroidery.

There will also be an associated talk [i][b]The Schiffli Project - the Inside Story given by artists Melanie Miller and Kate Egan on Sat 14 June at 2.00pm in the Dover Gallery. As contributing artists to the exhibition, Melanie and Kate will discuss aspects of their work and how it links with the aspects of mass consumerism that underlie the invention of the Schiffli machine. A fascinating insight into the artistic interpretation of consumer culture.

For further information contact exhibitions [at] farfieldmill [dot] org or visit our website: www.farfieldmill.org