Mary Schoeser

While Archivist for Warner & Sons Ltd (1982-90) and since January 1991 on a freelance basis, I have participated in textile and wallpaper restoration and interpretation projects for the National Trust, English Heritage, Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Biltmore House (North Carolina) and the 78 Derngate Trust, Northampton. Specific projects range from the 18th and 19th century interiors of Danson House, Calke Abbey and Brodsworth, to the C R Mackintosh house in Northampton and the 1930s’ interiors at Eltham Palace. During and since that time I have curated over 20 exhibitions and written or contributed to 14 catalogues, including Julia Griffiths Jones (The Gallery Ruthin 2005), Michael Brennand-Wood (Harley Gallery 2004) and Alice Kettle (Calderdale MBC Museums & Arts 2003) . Other publications range from 30 essays in books such as The History of Western Textiles (Cambridge University Press 2003) to over 75 articles and reviews for periodicals, as well as 16 books, most recently World Textiles (T&H 2003), Portfolio Vol 38: Norma Starszakowna (Telos 2006), and Silk (Yale University Press 2007). Editing, examining up to PhD level, and broadcasting have also been undertaken. Giving two or three conference papers annually, a recent example assessed resources for the study of 17th and 18th century copperplate printed textiles and dress accessories for "Dress and the Decorative Arts", a CSA/Huntington symposium in California, November 2006. Awards and fellowships include the 1995 UK Reading Association Award for significant contribution to the English language (for Why Leggings are Lycra, Longman 1994) and, in 2005-6, a Gill Fellow residency (for the study of the dissemination of Scottish Turkey red dye) at Winterthur, Delaware. I hold an MA from the Courtauld Institute (dress/textiles specialization), a PGDip Museum Studies (California State University, distinction) and a BSc in design and its history (University of California, magna cum laude).

Schoeser's research is directed towards the practical application of history as it informs current practice in heritage, arts and educational environments, and is divided into three strands: 1. establishing both the appropriate design and means of production of textiles and wallpapers for the renovation of historic interiors and furniture, within agreed budgetary and interpretive parameters; this requires familiarity with the entire range of current possibilities, whether new (eg, digital recreation of woven wallcovering for Ightham Mote, NT, Kent, 2006-7), "off the shelf" (eg, textiles and trimmings for the new Pump Room curtains - with their construction established through my research - Bath City Council, 2005-6), commissioned power-weaving (eg, 78 Derngate, 2002-3 - see website - and, 2006-7, Scotney Castle, NT, Kent), or craft-based (eg, hand-block printed wallpaper for Danson, Bexleyheath, a project managed by English Heritage, 1996-2005). 2. assessing and contextualizing archival material (eg, Georgina von Etzdorf, 2003-2006, leading to an exhibition at the Manchester City Art Gallery, 2006; and the Whitworth Art Gallery's Wardle pattern books, 2006-7, for a forthcoming WAG website) 3. lecturing, writing and curating on both historical and contemporary material, with a focus on the location of innovation (eg, "Sign Post to a New Space symposium - see web link - November 2005; Silk - see Yale website - 2007; an exhibition/publication on Rozanne Hawksley, forthcoming in 2009 from The Gallery Ruthin Craft Centre; and another on Knoll Textiles, forthcoming in 2010 from The Bard Graduate Center, New York).