Laura Thomas, Carmarthen School of Art lecturer, wins the gold medal at Eisteddfod for craft and design
Laura Thomas, an established woven textile artist and lecturer at Carmarthen School of Art, has won gold at the national Eisteddfod 2024.
Laura presented six pieces of work for the selectors to consider during the craft and art competition that were displayed at ‘Y Lle Celf’ during the Eisteddfod in Pontypridd. The collection celebrates the beauty of yarn in its purest form; its essence and the metaphors it encapsulates.
Laura said about her work: “The handwoven artworks were created intuitively and are intended to present a quiet, visual meditation; a reaction against the chaos and uncertainty of recent times.
“There are gentle rhythms, glimpses beyond the surface and evocative textures to capture our curiosity and ground busy minds.”
One of the selectors of the open exhibition, Cecile Johnson Soliz described Laura’s work as “stunningly beautiful objects.”
Laura found a passion for textiles, firstly when undertaking a Foundation Course in Art and Design at Carmarthen School of Art in 1994-95.
She then went on to specialise in weaving, during her fashion/textiles degree at Birmingham City University where she holds a first class degree, an MA from the Royal College of Art and finally two research fellowships.
In 2004 Laura established her studio practice in South Wales and has worked on a diverse range of projects spanning public art, commercial textile design, artist residencies and creating work for exhibitions.
Laura has her work in the permanent collections at the National Wool Museum in Drefach Felindre, The Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and many private collections.
Laura has been a part-time BA Textiles lecturer at Carmarthen School of Art since 2004, and has also delivered lectures, workshops and curatorial projects around the nation.
View the woven/unwoven collection here:
