Over the last few weeks we have received hundreds of applications to The Joan Harrison Creative Bursary scheme. The scheme was set up to provide valuable study opportunities for those wishing to study our accredited textile courses. It was named after a very dear friend and colleague who sadly passed away in 2015.
Our tutors have had the very difficult job of shortlisting the applications and we’re pleased to say we have our finalists.
Now, we need your help to find the winners. Please vote for your favourite piece. You’ll only be able to vote once (so make it count) and the four finalists with the highest number of votes will be awarded with a bursary place. Good luck everyone and thank you to everyone who applied.
Our Finalists
1. Miranda Bordat-Van Etten
Miranda Bordat-Van-Etten is passionately applying for a creative bursary to deepen her expertise in patchwork and quilting. Living in a rural area without access to local classes or resources, she has been honing her craft independently and selling her creations on Etsy. However, she seeks to elevate her skills and artistic vision through structured learning, hoping to stand out in the competitive world of textile art. She envisions creating captivating wall hangings, pillows, and mobiles that inspire awe at what can be achieved by hand in a technology-driven world.
The course represents a transformative opportunity for Miranda, enabling her to refine her techniques, gain confidence in her abilities, and bring her creative ideas to life without hesitation. Balancing her commitments to work, home, and art poses a challenge, but her drive and passion are unwavering.
“I want people to be able to look at my wall hangings, pillows, or mobiles and just simply wonder at what one can do with one’s hands in this world of increasing technology.”
2. Silvia Cavalieri
Silvia Cavalieri is applying for a bursary to pursue her passion for machine embroidery, a craft that has provided her solace and purpose during a challenging period of breast cancer treatment. Despite the lack of textile art courses in her area of Italy, Silvia has discovered a love for fabric, embroidery, and mixed techniques through online communities. This course represents an invaluable opportunity for her to learn from expert tutors, refine her skills, and pursue her goal of teaching and inspiring others in her country about the creative potential of textiles.
Silvia’s journey is driven by a deep passion for experimentation and her love of drawing inspiration from nature, art, and admired artists. The course would not only help her achieve personal growth and artistic mastery but also serve as a stepping stone toward financial independence and the ability to share her craft with others. While she acknowledges the challenge of maintaining consistency, she is highly motivated and committed to making the most of this opportunity.
“Having almost reached the age of 50 (this course would be a wonderful birthday present) and after overcoming a bad illness, I want to do something important for myself.”
3. Rachel Hewitt
Rachel Hewitt is applying for a creative bursary to pursue a knitting-focused course with the School of Stitched Textiles. She is eager to develop her skills and build a small business creating and selling artisanal knitted hats and garments. Over the past two years, she has been honing her skills and producing successful small stock runs for a gift shop, demonstrating her potential and dedication. However, she seeks guidance and structured learning to build confidence, avoid stagnation, and maintain creative growth.
Rachel is highly motivated to complete the course, knitting tirelessly throughout her days and weekends. Despite managing chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, she is confident in her ability to balance the workload. This course represents a vital step toward achieving her dream of a thriving artisanal business.
“I wish not to get stuck in a production rut but to keep abreast of design creativity to spiral a business forwards.”
4. CJ Hyland
CJ Hyland is applying for a bursary to further her passion for hand embroidery, a craft she describes as her “saving grace.” Living in a small home in Conifer, Colorado, CJ has faced significant challenges in recent years, including caring for her mother, who was diagnosed with fronto-temporal dementia, and managing a serious relapse of her own chronic illness, which is worsened by stress. Despite these struggles, embroidery has remained a source of solace and joy, inspiring her to co-found a small business, Artful Fox, with her husband. Together, they are developing innovative artisanal embroidery products, including a revolutionary slate frame designed to enhance the embroidery experience.
This course represents an opportunity for CJ to refine her skills, gain expert guidance, and continue growing her artistic journey. As a self-taught embroiderer, she is eager to receive structured training that would allow her to elevate her work and contribute further to the embroidery community. While her illness presents challenges, embroidery is not only manageable but essential to her well-being, providing hope, happiness, and a sense of purpose.
“I’m not kidding when I say to you that I believe embroidery has saved my life. I honestly do not know what I would do without it.”
5. Gillian Burton
Gillian Burton is applying for a bursary to pursue a course in crochet, a craft she is passionate about and deeply connected to. For over two decades, Gillian has dedicated her life to the creative arts, working as a freelance practitioner and founding The Watershed Creative Mill in Slaithwaite, a hub for participatory arts and crafts. Although she has spent years inspiring and supporting others to engage with creative activities, Gillian now seeks the opportunity to develop her own skills and confidence in crochet, allowing her to pursue more ambitious projects and find her unique artistic style.
With this course, Gillian hopes to move beyond basic patterns and experiment with the rich cultural variations and creative potential of crochet. Her goal is not only personal growth but also to share her learning journey with the crafting community at The Watershed, encouraging others to expand their own skills.
Gillian’s motivation is rooted in her lifelong love of wool crafts, her daily commitment to knitting and crochet, and her desire to step out of her comfort zone to prioritize her own development. While she acknowledges the challenges life may bring, she is ready to embrace this opportunity to enhance her craft and capitalize on this long-awaited moment.
“My motivation is my love of wool crafts; I knit or crochet every day, and I really want to gain new skills in crochet so that I can take on more ambitious projects.”
6. Corrie Lawton
Corrie Lawton, a passionate maker from the rural town of Modimolle in Limpopo Province, South Africa, is applying for a bursary to pursue a machine embroidery course. Living with her husband as pensioners, Corrie has limited financial means, relying on her pension and the small income generated from her handcrafted fabric toys, including hobby horses and ragdolls, which she sells locally.
For the past three years, she has also been exploring fabric art, particularly free-motion machine embroidery. However, Corrie feels hindered by her lack of formal training, which prevents her from fully realizing her creative vision. By enrolling in the machine embroidery course, she hopes to:
Learn Advanced Techniques: Gain the knowledge and skills to refine her approach and turn her ideas into confident, joyful creations.
Create Artwork with Confidence: Elevate her fabric art to a professional level, expanding her creative potential.
Transform Her Passion into Mastery: Progress from frustration to fulfillment by mastering the craft she deeply loves.
Corrie has been dreaming of taking this course for years but has been unable to afford it. She is 100% committed to completing the program, viewing it as a life-changing opportunity to pursue her passion and overcome her current limitations.
“It would be life-changing for me to do something that I am passionate about but currently find frustrating due to my lack of knowledge to progress to the next level.”
7. Elisabeth Reyes
Elisabeth Reyes, a dedicated stay-at-home parent for the past 12 years, is applying for a bursary to pursue a course in hand embroidery. Now that her children are older, Elisabeth is eager to reignite her creativity and develop her passion for embroidery into a refined skill.
Her goals upon completing the course include:
Refining Techniques: Gaining expertise in hand embroidery to create high-quality, unique pieces.
Exploring Creative Opportunities: Potentially contributing to her family’s income by offering custom embroidery or teaching the craft.
Personal Growth: Rediscovering her creative identity and embarking on a fulfilling new chapter of life.
The bursary would alleviate financial concerns and enable Elisabeth to focus on her creative development without affecting her family’s financial plans. While she acknowledges the challenge of balancing her family responsibilities with the course demands, she is confident that the flexibility of online learning will allow her to manage effectively.
“This course is a chance to rediscover my creativity and lay the groundwork for a new chapter in my life.”
8. Louise White
Louise White is applying for a bursary to pursue a course in felting, driven by her passion for crafting and her belief in its power to support mental health and wellbeing. Earlier this year, Louise’s life was upended when her daughter was unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumour, requiring intensive treatment. As a result, Louise had to step away from her career as a secondary school geography teacher to provide care, leaving her unable to fund opportunities for personal development like this course.
With this bursary, Louise hopes to combine her teaching expertise with her crafting skills to host community craft events in schools and for the public. She is deeply committed to using craft as a tool for improving wellbeing and mental health, an advocacy close to her heart.
Louise is highly motivated to complete the course, supported by her family who share her desire for her happiness and fulfilment. She views this course not only as an opportunity for personal growth but as a way to positively impact her community.
“I believe not only would this course help me, but I would then help others, be it through workshops or events.”
4 Comments
Very best of luck Louise
I voted for the wrong person by accident! Please help. The site was clunky on my phone. I wanted to vote for Rachel Hewitt. Can you do something about it?
hi Charlie. We will ensure that your vote is counted towards Rachel Hewitt. I’m sorry that you found the site clunky on mobile, we are in the process or moving to a much quicker server. What this space! Many thanks, Sarah.
I wish to support Rachel in her application. She has just joined the Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers – and hope that this will assist in her quest.