Walsall Silver Thread Tapestries

The Walsall Silver Thread Tapestries are a set of eleven artworks in tapestries, designed by the artist Hunt Emerson in conjunction with the various communities of Walsall, England and hand-stitched by local people there in 2016. They depict the people, places, history and wildlife of the towns and districts that, since 1974, have formed the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall.

The works were commissioned with grant funding of £73,740 from Arts Council England to commemorate the 25th (or silver) anniversary of Walsall Council's Creative Development Team.[1] The team was disbanded before the project was completed.[2]

The tapestries are in three sizes: a large one for Walsall itself, six medium size and four smaller pieces. In total, they cover over 12 square metres (130 sq ft).[3] Work was carried out under the auspices of Creative Factory, a community interest company.[2]

In January 2017, they were exhibited at The New Art Gallery Walsall, and afterwards at several venues around the borough, including St Matthew's Church, libraries, and Walsall Leather Museum.[3][4] As of 2019, the tapestries are exhibited at Walsall Arboretum Visitor Centre.

The work is dedicated to Maxwell Bailey, manager of the Creative Development Team, who secured the Arts Council grant, but died before the work was completed.[2]

The tapestries

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Each tapestry depicts several subjects:

Aldridge

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Aldridge war memorial

Barr Beacon

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Walsall Lodge, Great Barr Hall

One of the smaller tapestries.

Birchills

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One of the smaller tapestries.

Bloxwich

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Bloxwich fountain

Brownhills

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The Brownhills Miner

Butts

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One of the smaller tapestries.

Pelsall

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Pelsall's fingerpost

Palfrey

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One of the smaller tapestries.

Darlaston

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Walsall

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Bust of John Henry Carless VC

The largest tapestry. The central panel depicts:

This is surrounded by smaller panels, depicting (clockwise from top left):

This tapestry also carries Hunt Emerson's signature and a cartoon of Maxwell Bailey.

Willenhall

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Willenhall Lock Museum

References

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  1. ^ "Silver Thread". Creative Walsall. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Silver Thread Tapestries". Creative Factory. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b "The Silver Threads Tapestries go on tour of the Borough". The New Art Gallery Walsall. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Walsall tapestries to tour the Midlands". Express & Star. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  • Walsall Silver Thread Tapestries information pack
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