| Priscilla Lowry is a Medievalist & Silk Historian author, lecturer and designer
LATEST NEWS
I have now returned, refreshed and re-invigorated by my seven weeks in France, England and Turkey. It was both a teaching and a research trip and it all went extremely well. It was wonderful to catch up again with friends and colleagues, to meet new people and discuss wonderful new ideas. I visited lots of ancient manor houses and castles, bought lots of books, and was blown away by the Bayeux Tapestry, and the beautiful buildings and textiles wherever I went.
All of this can now be incorporated into next years work
The Programme has now been finalised for my courses at the University for 2010, starting with READING THE PICTURES on Tuesday 23rd February 6-8pm and followed by a new course MEDIEVAL EDUCATION: FROM CHURCH SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY starting on Friday 12th March, 10-12.
The second new course, MEDIEVAL MONASTICISM: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS starts on Monday 19th April 10-12 and the last course for the first semester is THE SILK ROAD: TRADERS AND THIEVES which starts on Thursday 22nd April 12 to 2pm.
The first 6 week course READING THE PICTURES: THE STORIES BEHIND MEDIEVAL PAINTINGS seeks to discover the meanings hidden behind Medieval manuscripts and pictures in both secular and religious books and paintings, including Books of Hours, herbal and medical treatise and incunabula. We will learn about the people, their lives and events, food and fashion and in particular read the symbolism and interpret the message, be it social, religious or propaganda.
MEDIEVAL EDUCATION: FROM CHURCH SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY also uses pictures from Medieval Manuscripts and paintings to explore changes in education during the late Medieval Period as it evolved from being church and clergy centred to the development of the Grammar Schools and Universities. With the expansion of towns and commercial success, guildsmen sought an education that was suitable and appropriate for their sons and daughters, so a more secular education was gradually offered to the wider community.
MEDIEVAL MONASTICISM; BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, lets us catch glimpses of the controlled, secretive and hidden life of the monks and nuns from the high period of their committment (or not) to a life of celibacy in the church. There are wonderful records of real people and their lives and how they coped with a situation that some chose with a passion and others found they had been condemned to live.
The SILK ROAD: TRADERS AND THIEVES traces the devlopment of the many routes across China travelled by missisonaries and traders, vagabonds and thieves including the best known traveller of all, Marco Polo. We look at the treasures and ancient tombs and discuss some of the ideas, changes and commerce that have occurred over the last three thousand years.
All the series are enormous fun with lots of thought provoking ideas and great discussions. They have also been oversubscribed and people have had to go on waiting lists, so do telephone the Continuing Education Department 09 373 7599 to secure your place.
Please feel free to contact me at silkroad39@xtra.co.nz
Priscilla Lowry's SOLO EXHIBITION, SILK: DECONSTRUCTED, RECONSTRUCTED AT NORTHART in Auckland, in November 2008 has now finished and the response was wonderful.
Please feel free to contact me if you saw something you loved, and would like one made especially for you, some jewellery, a silk jacket, a quilt or cushions
LATEST NEWS FROM ST JOHNS PRESS
Priscilla Lowry's first book, SILK:FROM THE MYTHS AND LEGENDS TO THE MIDDLE AGES has recently been republished in an ALL NEW SECOND EDITION. Also available is the second book in the series, THE SECRETS OF SILK: FROM TEXTILES TO FASHION. The third book, WORLD SILK is in preparation at this time. You can find more information on the books and a link to order them in this website or email her at silkroad39@xtra.co.nz for more information.
Priscilla Lowry's background is in teaching and for many years she owned Gallery St John in Remuera in Auckland specializing in wearable art in silk.
She gained her BA from Auckland University, majoring in Art History and Education and her Masters in Medieval History from London University. For the first seven years in London she was the Director of the Schuster Gallery, which specialized in antique prints, antiquarian books and her special area of expertise, Medieval Manuscripts. It was her experience and academic work that led to the publication of her books on the history of Silk, both published in the UK.
The period at the Schuster Gallery was followed by full time teaching and lecturing on silk all over the UK. She included demonstrations of identifying, spinning and working with different silks and a fashion parade of her original designs for handspun, knitted and dyed silk garments as part of the lively programme.
She traveled extensively to China, India, Thailand, Korea, France and Italy in search of sericulture and on her regular trips backwards and forwards to New Zealand, she was the guest speaker and directed workshops in the US, Canada and Thailand.
Increasingly, since her permanent move back to New Zealand she has been teaching at Auckland University on many aspects of Medieval History as well as being invited to lecture and give workshops around New Zealand and at major Fibre Festivals. These include Masterton in 2004 and Taradale in 2006, the Selector at the Creative Fibre Exhibition in Wellington 2005 and the New Zealand Fibre & Fleece Fashion Awards and Exhibition in Opotiki 2006, and Convenor of the Fashion Parades at the Home Show in Auckland. Her solo exhibition was at NorthArt in Northcote in Auckland and intitled SILK: DECONSTRUCTED. RECONSTRUCTED. She continues to be the guest speaker and give workshops to Spinning and Weaving Guilds, Embroiderers, Lacemakers, Patchwork, Quilters, U3A, Probus, Rotary and at other public events.
For more information about her books and topics for the talks and workshops, please contact her at silkroad39@xtra.co.nz
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