Artwork pattern layout from the Kalila wa Dimna online storytelling animation by Artist and ELTA Leader, Celia Ward. www.celiaward.net

Embroideries by ELTA members, designed and made by Lead Textile Artist Sonia Tuttiett (Courtesy of ELTA).

East London Textile Arts (ELTA)

East London Textile Arts (ELTA) is a collective running participatory textile projects in Newham, East London. It was set up in 2010 and works with diverse groups on a long-term developmental basis, building textile skills within communities. Our projects often include a learning-disabled textile group. We make collaborative textiles involving all who come to our classes, often centred around themes of contemporary concern, including environmental and health projects. Much of the work in this exhibition has been made by women who have been refining their textile skills with ELTA over many years. 

All classes are free of charge. 

We also sell our cards, decorated papers and printed fabrics at our Open Days and exhibitions and collaborate with visiting artists while providing training and volunteering opportunities for our participants. We have held exhibitions at St Martin in the Fields, The Hellenic Centre, The Art Workers Guild and shown work at The Watts Gallery, amongst other venues, many in Newham.

More information about our projects can be found at www.eastlondontextilearts.com and on our Instagram account @eltatextiles.

Organisation Page

ELTA projects are led by Lead Textile Artist Sonia Tuttiett and Artist and Founder of ELTA, Celia Ward. The textile collective would like to thank the following funders for their support to produce the multiple projects on Kalila wa Dimna:

De Laszlo Foundation

John Cutforth Charitable Foundation

Arts Council England, The National Lottery Fund

Art Workers’ Guild

And ELTA’s community of talented embroiderers:

Kim Chang, Cherry, Luthubia Abdul Cader, Vernita Cooke, Lyn Cranfield, Fathima, Kang Sing Fung, Cynthia Gibbons, Karen Harris, Katy Homes, Sindy Jackson, Kay Jones, Sameena Kazmi, Lorna Lambert, Matsako, Rekha Patel, Radha Rajan, Sophia Ramsay, Satnam, Shireen, Polly Singh, Bula Susmita Sarkar, Sonia Tuttiett, Kaushika Vaghela.

EXHIBITION ARTWORKS

Migration Tales

This short film consists of real-life stories of people who came to the UK as migrants and have settled here. The four speakers are all members or friends of East London Textile Arts. As they narrate their personal experiences, the camera focuses close-up on ELTA embroideries, bringing out the individuality of every stitch. A solo flute further evokes the uniqueness of every individual’s experience.

 

Textiles by Radha Rajan and Sicily George

Music performed by Charlotte Ward

Production and Textile Design by Celia Ward

Filmed and edited by Frederic Landes

Directed by James Ramsay 

EXHIBITION ARTWORKS

Illustrated Booklet of the tale of ‘The Four Friends’

The booklet is a children’s version of the tale of ‘The Four Friends’, richly decorated with embroideries and based on text written for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. It’s production involves over thirty different embroiderers, photographers, pattern makers and a book designer and will be for sale at the Kalila wa Dimna: Ancient Tales for Troubled Times exhibition at the P21 Gallery and in Newham. It is part of a regular series of booklets published by ELTA.

Book Design by artist and ELTA’s leader Celia Ward

  • Book Cover

  • One spread example

  • Embroideries illustrating Kalila wa Dimna, the tale of ‘The Four Friends’ characters, by ELTA members. Designed and curated by Lead Textile Artist Sonia Tuttiett.

EXHIBITION ARTWORKS

Kalila wa Dimna Dramatic Performance

A local Newham drama group for adults with learning disabilities will perform a version of the tale of ‘The Four Friends’ in a community venue in Newham featuring costumes made by over forty embroiderers over the last two years in a project led by ELTA designer and dress maker Sonia Tuttiett. Many hundreds of hours have gone into decorating these costumes, with the embroidery on each one being done by a different person.

  • Costumes designed and produced by ELTA members for Kalila wa Dimna Drama Performance, 2021. Left: Crow costume - Right: Turtle and Hunter costumes (Courtesy of ELTA).

  • Costumes designed and produced by ELTA members for Kalila wa Dimna ‘Drama Performance’, 2021. Left: Deer and Turtle costumes - Right: Hunter costume (Courtesy of ELTA).