AN AWARD-WINNING York weaver, who is also partially sighted, has been handed the chance to work on an exhibition at an international art fair.

Jacqueline James, who lives in the city, has been awarded a place at Collect Open, part of the leading annual Collect International Art Fair for Contemporary Craft and Design, organised by the Crafts Council between February 23 and 27.

Working alongside textile print designer, Amelie Crepy, Jacqueline is creating 'The Alchemy of Blue', a seven-metre contemporary hand woven and hand dyed textile art installation featuring luxurious natural fibres dyed in woad and indigo, the plants historically used to produce the colour blue for textiles.

York Press:

As one of only two collaborations accepted this year for Collect Open, the criteria for which state that makers must create something new and different to their normal practice, their work must be of a "quality high enough to be considered."

Amélie, with her in-depth understanding of pattern and textile design, will produce the motifs for the weave. Jacqueline’s extensive experience as a weaver and dyer will transform Amélie’s motifs on her Swedish floor loom into the physical artwork.

Both artists have dyed the yarns, some of which Jacqueline has not weaved before - including sari silks, nettle ramie, banana yarn, hemp and British wool.

They are "delighted," to be working with West Yorkshire Spinners - members of which will be donating a quantity of three different types of knitting yarn -Retreat Bluefaced Kerry Hill, Bluefaced Leicester Roving and Jacob Aran.

Jacqueline and Amelie said they are keen to highlight the use of textiles as an art form as well as its use in interiors but also very keen to share concerns over the commercial, mass-produced textiles and resulting global waste, pollution and human impact on the environment. They also wish to inspire others to further consider their part in ecology, sustainability and low impact living.

York Press:

The pair are "pleased," to also be in collaboration with David Walters, the Jacquard weave specialists, based in their Sudbury mill in Suffolk. David Walters will create a woven fabric, designed by Amélie, which Jacqueline will incorporate into the handwoven installation.

The Jacquard fabric length will be created using weft yarn which has been dyed in-house using a state-of-the-art technology that oxidises 100 per cent of the organic dyestuffs in the used dye liquor. This turns the liquor into water which is completely clear and produces a small amount of hydrogen. The dyeing process is driven by efficiency to keep energy consumption to a minimum, whilst the dyestuffs themselves are REACH compliant and entirely Azo-free.

Collect Open will take place at Somerset House, London from February 25 - 27 - with preview days held on the 23 and 24.