A new exhibition called 'Colour Conversations' featuring the work of Ruth Issett and Dorothy Tucker has opened at the Museum of the Park in Stroud.

Ruth Issett's and Dorothy Tucker's overriding passion is colour: the quality or power of colour expressed in fabric, thread and stitch, paper, paint and print.

Their work reflects their fascinating and wide-ranging conversations about colour and the ways in which they investigate and develop their ideas.

For Ruth, the obsessive training of her 'eye' has been nurtured by the application of different wet media including dye. The resultant evaluation of dry fabric and paper colour follows, with the possible addition of transparent and translucent layers and maybe stitch.

Dorothy's exploration of colour and light is worked through limited palettes, mixing incremental amounts of paint and stitching together fragments of fabric. Her multi-media hand stitched pieces reference textiles such as kantha, Boro and patchwork.

The two artists first met when working with adult educational programmes and at the Embroiderers' Guild. They both now teach on a freelance basis in the UK and internationally.

They are members of the Textile Study Group, which provides them with many opportunities to meet and discuss their passion for colour. The sharing of their experiences and knowledge has become an important and stimulating part of their working practice. Neither apparently works in a seemingly logical or a linear manner!

The recent coronavirus lockdowns challenged both artists to engage in and master new technologies. Consequently, their responses to the many unexpected and exciting possibilities in each other's work have come about through remote conversations and exchanges of images on screen.

These also reflect changes in mood and motivation caused by the disruptions and limited live social contact that they have experienced during the pandemic.

Through this exhibition the museum hopes to share Ruth and Dorothy's highly tuned responses to colour. The exhibition also aims to reflect the research, sampling and testing that they are undertaking in a conversation, which will continue between them in an ongoing and open way.

Many works are for sale at very affordable prices

The exhibition, which runs until Sunday, October 31, is accompanied by two artist-led workshops:

Colour Conversation with Ruth Issett: Friday 22 October, 1.30pm - 3.30pm (full)

Colour Conversation with Dorothy Tucker: Saturday 23 October, 1.30pm - 3.30pm (a few spaces left)

Visitors can meet Dorothy in the gallery on October 22 and Ruth on October 23 (free drop-in event)

Please note the gallery and museum will be closed on 19th October

Visitors can also enjoy the glorious Autumn colours outside in the Walled Garden, and see 18th century paintings in the museum which show bright strips of red, white and blue Stroud woollen cloth drying in the green fields surrounding this former textile production centre