Who are the Friends of the Whitworth?
Who are the Friends of the Whitworth?
Introducing Isabel Dibden Wright
Who are the Friends of the Whitworth?
Who are the Friends of the Whitworth?
Introducing Isabel Dibden Wright
As we make our way through the Covid19 Pandemic, we thought it might be a good opportunity to introduce you to some of our Friends. Rather than presenting them with a blank sheet of paper, we decided to ask them some questions. We think they enjoyed answering them. We hope you enjoyed reading their answers. Here is Isabel Dibden Wright. Some of you will know Isabel from the wonderful patchwork and quilting workshops that she runs for the Friends of the Whitworth. Using her extensive knowledge of the Whitworth's famous textile collection, Isabel uses a selection of works from them to inspire us as we do our own work. Here's what she has to say.
I was born in Newport, Monmouthshire. I studied for a BA (Hons)
Textiles/Fashion (Embroidery) at Loughborough College of Art and Design
and eventually became Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan
University in the School of Art.
I have long standing connections to the Whitworth
I first visited the Whitworth when I was on the Art Foundation Course at
MMU (then Manchester Polytechnic) in 1971, and have been a regular visitor
ever since.
In 1977 I showed a quilt in “Crafts in Question” and subsequently exhibited
with the Red Rose Guild of Designer Craftsmen in their exhibitions at the
Whitworth.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest, and why?
Alan Bennett, I am sure he would be a delight, and he would be quite happy with cheese on toast, so that there would be no pressure to produce an amazing meal.
Stuck on a desert island, which book would you like to have with you?
The Ten Principle Upanishads, English translation by Shree Purohit Swami and W.B. Yeats
I have been reading this book since the mid 1980’s and never tire of it.
Your house is on fire. Your family and pets are safe but you can only take one item with you as you make your escape. What would you save?
It would have to be old family photographs.
If you won millions on the Lottery, what would be your first purchase?
I don’t do the lottery, I think I win every week from the support that it gives to museums, galleries, heritage etc.
But if I did, I would probably give most of it to the Gates Foundation for research into eliminating malaria.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
Paris, my favourite city.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
My career in teaching, it was a privilege to teach Embroidery at MMU.
What living person do you most admire and why?
The Dalai Lama, who is the embodiment of kindness and compassion, and he has a wonderful smile.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Sitting up on the upper deck of the bus going to secondary school I could see into the studios of Newport School of Art, and always wanted to go to art school, but I thought it wasn’t for people like me. But I did!
What is the worst job you have ever had?
I have been very lucky, and even the jobs I had when I was at school and a student were enjoyable.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
To be thankful for every day, not to worry about what the future holds for us.
To whom would you like to say thank you and why?
My parents, I did take them for granted, they gave me so much love.
Tell us your favourite Gallery, painting or artist-or all three!
It would have to be the V&A even though it is a museum rather than a gallery. The painting would be The Wilton Diptych (in the National Gallery). My artist would be Vermeer, but if you asked me tomorrow I would probably choose someone else, I have a list of forty artists that I admire. Try doing this, it is fascinating to make your own list!
What do you miss most in this lockdown?
Not being able to go out into the countryside for a walk at this wonderful time of the year.
Where would you like to visit when we get back to “normal”?
It depends what is meant by normal. The new normal might be a holiday in the UK, but maybe in future years Southern India.
If you would like to give one piece of advice to the Friends of the Whitworth, what would it be?
Keep going! This time will pass, and we will learn to adapt.
As we make our way through the Covid19 Pandemic, we thought it might be a good opportunity to introduce you to some of our Friends. Rather than presenting them with a blank sheet of paper, we decided to ask them some questions. We think they enjoyed answering them. We hope you enjoyed reading their answers. Here is Isabel Dibden Wright. Some of you will know Isabel from the wonderful patchwork and quilting workshops that she runs for the Friends of the Whitworth. Using her extensive knowledge of the Whitworth's famous textile collection, Isabel uses a selection of works from them to inspire us as we do our own work. Here's what she has to say.
I was born in Newport, Monmouthshire. I studied for a BA (Hons)
Textiles/Fashion (Embroidery) at Loughborough College of Art and Design
and eventually became Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan
University in the School of Art.
I have long standing connections to the Whitworth
I first visited the Whitworth when I was on the Art Foundation Course at
MMU (then Manchester Polytechnic) in 1971, and have been a regular visitor
ever since.
In 1977 I showed a quilt in “Crafts in Question” and subsequently exhibited
with the Red Rose Guild of Designer Craftsmen in their exhibitions at the
Whitworth.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest, and why?
Alan Bennett, I am sure he would be a delight, and he would be quite happy with cheese on toast, so that there would be no pressure to produce an amazing meal.
Stuck on a desert island, which book would you like to have with you?
The Ten Principle Upanishads, English translation by Shree Purohit Swami and W.B. Yeats
I have been reading this book since the mid 1980’s and never tire of it.
Your house is on fire. Your family and pets are safe but you can only take one item with you as you make your escape. What would you save?
It would have to be old family photographs.
If you won millions on the Lottery, what would be your first purchase?
I don’t do the lottery, I think I win every week from the support that it gives to museums, galleries, heritage etc.
But if I did, I would probably give most of it to the Gates Foundation for research into eliminating malaria.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
Paris, my favourite city.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
My career in teaching, it was a privilege to teach Embroidery at MMU.
What living person do you most admire and why?
The Dalai Lama, who is the embodiment of kindness and compassion, and he has a wonderful smile.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Sitting up on the upper deck of the bus going to secondary school I could see into the studios of Newport School of Art, and always wanted to go to art school, but I thought it wasn’t for people like me. But I did!
What is the worst job you have ever had?
I have been very lucky, and even the jobs I had when I was at school and a student were enjoyable.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
To be thankful for every day, not to worry about what the future holds for us.
To whom would you like to say thank you and why?
My parents, I did take them for granted, they gave me so much love.
Tell us your favourite Gallery, painting or artist-or all three!
It would have to be the V&A even though it is a museum rather than a gallery. The painting would be The Wilton Diptych (in the National Gallery). My artist would be Vermeer, but if you asked me tomorrow I would probably choose someone else, I have a list of forty artists that I admire. Try doing this, it is fascinating to make your own list!
What do you miss most in this lockdown?
Not being able to go out into the countryside for a walk at this wonderful time of the year.
Where would you like to visit when we get back to “normal”?
It depends what is meant by normal. The new normal might be a holiday in the UK, but maybe in future years Southern India.
If you would like to give one piece of advice to the Friends of the Whitworth, what would it be?
Keep going! This time will pass, and we will learn to adapt.
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