Photo and artwork by Jane Ashelford Edwards.
Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers… anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.
Those who inspire art to flow where it may.
Jane Ashelford: In the English Service.
I have the pleasure of knowing Jane Ashelford Edwards through blogging. Jane has written many books about the art of dressing, clothing and historical costume and lifestyle. In her spare time she makes cards for friends and family.
Photo and artwork by Jane Ashelford Edwards.
I asked Jane to tell me about herself and her art:
"In my final year at University College London where I was studying for a joint degree in History of Art and English Literature I had no clear idea of what to do next. Almost by chance my tutor suggested that I should apply to the Courtauld Institute of Art to do a Masters Degree in the History of Dress. He happened to know Stella Mary Newton, the formidable lady who ran the course and thought that my somewhat extrovert style of dress might be an advantage. He rang her up there and then and arranged for an interview. Not having much hope of success, only four students were admitted to the two-year course, I was stunned when I was offered a place."
Photo and artwork by Jane Ashelford Edwards.
"Always working from primary sources we were trained to specialise in a particular era of English history, I had always been fascinated by the Elizabethan period and wrote my thesis on ‘Elizabethan Emblematic Embroidery’. When I left the Courtauld I enjoyed living in London and working freelance as a lecturer in the fashion department of Kingston Art College and teaching children in the period rooms of the Geffrye Museum. I also worked as a stylist on photographic shoots and as a picture researcher. All the time I was researching the Elizabethan period and was fortunate to be asked to write two books for Batsford Books, ‘A Visual History of Dress. The Sixteenth Century’ and ‘Dress in the Age of Elizabeth 1’"
Photo and artwork by Jane Ashelford Edwards.
One of Jane Ashelford Edward's Books:
Batsford Books, ‘A Visual History of Dress. The Sixteenth Century’ and ‘Dress in the Age of Elizabeth 1’
Jane Ashelford: The Art of Dress.
"In 1983 I had a radical change of career, my husband and I left London to open a wine bar in Jersey, the property had been in my family since 1854 and we hoped that the combination of my love of cooking and collecting recipes and my husband’s knowledge of wine could create a chic wine bar out of a rather tired looking pub. It was a huge risk but I’m pleased to say we were successful and owned the business with a partner until last year."
Photo and artwork by Jane Ashelford Edwards.
"I became involved in an extraordinary project in the mid 1990’s when the National Trust asked me to write a social history of dress based on the unique collection of costumes and textiles in houses administered by them. Visiting National Trust houses all over the country and selecting garments for two photographic sessions was an amazing experience. Working with the renowned photographer Andreas von Einsiedel was wonderful and my styling experience was useful when I had to find the correct accessories and props.
The third edition of the book ‘The Art of Dress.Clothes and Society 1500-1914’
Jane Ashelford: Royal Journeys
"I went on to write three books about Jersey History and it was whilst researching ‘Royal Journeys. Victoria and Albert in the Channel Islands’ that I became interested in Victorian cards and in particular the exquisite Paper lace patterns they used to as backgrounds to the colourful scraps and die-cut images. I started experimenting by combining Victorian scraps and engravings with original pieces of paper lace . I then discovered where I could order hand-stamped trims "Home Stead Treasures", which could be used to create a collage effect. I also used verdigis metal elements from "Dime Store Emporium" . I love making cards, soing so for friends and find it very satisfying .
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