School staff
Trained as a weaver Kerry is principally interested in textile design, construction and associated processes. Current research is based around a number of themes, exploring relationships between drawing, textiles, process & technology, both within her own practice but also concerning the relevance of these issues to a contemporary Textiles education.
Practice based research has developed in a number of directions, and is influenced by research on new materials and innovations in Textiles – this work explores a range of processes and techniques with a particular interest in non traditional approaches, using heat and laser applications. Her interest in applying this research to the industry context led to a project with Heritage Cashmere funded by a Materials and Design Exchange Spark award, looking at laser applications for natural fibre textiles.
In collaboration with the Textiles Research Group she was involved with developing the Lasers and Creativity symposium held at Loughborough in November 2009.
Drawing has always played an important part in the development of Kerry’s design work, and as a member of the Drawing Research Group she been involved in a number of drawing related activities including the Triptych drawing research collaboration with Kingston University and Dublin Institute of Technology. She has exhibited drawing work in the United States and is currently involved in working on the collaborative drawing research project 6767.
For the past 5 years Kerry has been Secretary to the FTC Subject Association of Courses in Fashion and Textile Design and is a member of the steering group. She was part of the organising team for the 2009 conference Futurescan: Mapping the Territory held in Liverpool, and advised on the setting up of the associated research project. The edited book of papers from the conference is available from the FTC association web site. The next conference, Futurescan 2:Collective Voices will be held in Nottingham in November 2012.
Teaching
SAA611 Visual Research for Textiles
SAA612 Design Development for Textiles
SAA614 Textiles: Application & Exploration
SAB622 Sampling & Textile Manufacture
Research
Kerry’s recent research activity has been the development of the TRIP series of events, in collaboration with the Textiles Research Group at Loughborough. TRIP – Textiles Research in Process - is an initiative to develop discussion around the role and relevance of traditional ‘hand skills’ in contemporary textiles, and the value and status of craft process. The recent symposium attracted an audience of international participants.
The exhibition of Research group members work was shown at the Harley Gallery, Summer 2012, and also in the Design School Gallery at the University for the duration of the symposium. The exhibition provided a snapshot of practice based work addressing ongoing research narratives within the group. Common to all of the work is an interest in the connections between craft, design and new technologies within textiles.
Kerry is currently developing new practice based Textile work exploring the relationship between drawing and design (weaving).
Postgraduate Research Supervisions
Kerry welcomes supervision with interests particularly in textiles, drawing, and laser applications for textiles.
Featured Publications
Walton,K, Futurescan: Mapping the Territory, Association of Courses in Fashion and Textiles, UK, March 2011, 978 1 907382 30 7
Walton,K,Kane F, Nimkulrat N. TRIP: An international symposium exploring the role and relevance of traditional hand skills in contemporary textiles, and the value and status of craft process, November 2011.
Walton,K ,Matthews,J, Cutting Edge: Lasers and creativity Symposium, November 2010
Matthews,J ,Walton,K, Three-dimensional texturing and patterning of woven textiles using purpose designed fabric structures, ICALEO 2009 - 28th International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics.
Links
Cutting Edge Laser Symposium: a one day ‘Lasers and Creativity’ Symposium exploring the laser process in Art & Design and the relationship of practitioners to the technology:http://www.cuttingedgesymposium.com/
TRIP Symposium: TRIP: An international symposium exploring the role and relevance of traditional ‘hand skills’ in contemporary textiles, and the value and status of craft process.
Textile Research Group Event
School of the Arts - Loughborough University
Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th November 2011
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sota/trip/trip_exhibition.html
TRIP: Textiles Research in Process An exhibition by the Textiles Research Group, School of the Arts, Loughborough University
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sota/trip/trip_homepage.html
Drawing Podcast:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sota/research/drg_podcasts/drg_podcasts_kerry_walton.htm
Fashion & Textiles Subject Association:
http://www.fashion-textiles.org.uk/
