This exhibition is the culmination of a research and design project by Belford, funded by The Leverhulme Trust. Many of the techniques utilized during the time at Belford Prints (1986-2004) have been revisited to develop the work for ‘The Alchemy of Print’. Samples from the Belford archive sit alongside a range of new samples, exposing the value of technical craft, dyeing and printing expertise.

The Alchemy of Print’ exhibition is supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (principal funder). This exhibition is part of the Linen Biennale, a visual arts initiative of R-Space Gallery across Northern Ireland, celebrating the linen history, while giving it contemporary relevance; funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Trish Belford is a designer, in 1996 she was made an Honorary Fellow of The Royal College of Art, in 2009 The Society of Dyers and Colorists awarded the silver medal for services to the textile industry. From 2004 – 2022 Trish was Senior Research Fellow at the Ulster University and has just completed a research post with the University of The Arts London as project lead for the Business of Fashion and Textiles and Technology, working with William Clark and Sons to deliver a more sustainable beetled linen. She has exhibited locally and internationally, including at the Bangkok International design Festival. She was co-founder and director of Belford Prints (1986-2004), Macclesfield, a creative textile print company working for British fashion designers, such as Vivienne Westwood, Georgina von Etzdort, Neisha Crosland, Jasper Conran, English Eccentrics and Zandra Rhodes.

A publication with more information about this project is available from R-Space.

To watch Trish Belford dicuss this project, please click the link below.