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Talk & Zoom: Architectural Embroideries

A live talk and zoom to be given by architect Ana Sutherland on architect Teresa Forrest’s embroidery work, with a focus on her pieces depicting street scapes, buildings and landscapes. Unique original designs are worked in intricate and detailed patterns. Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy.

‘ I enjoy the freedom of the outline designs and I develop the intricacies as I go along. I watch them grow and develop, similar to working on a painting.’

Teresa Forrest (b. 1933) is an architect who was a local resident for many years. While based in Blackheath Teresa and her husband Jack worked for Sir Frederick Gibberd on Hull College’s Queen’s Gardens building and the Metropolitan Cathedral project in Liverpool. She went on to have a successful architecture practice while Jack remained at Gibberds as a partner. Sadly her their daughter Lucy was a victim of violencee and caused them to move.

Following retirement, Forrest became a prolific embroiderer and exhibited her work at the Royal Academy twice. Her embroidery, heavily influenced by her architectural background, consists largely of street scapes and city scapes. Unique original designs are worked in intricate and detailed patterns to create the effect of different materials, windows, the sky, ironwork, trees, water, light, shadow, etc. The embroidery types used are mainly black work and needlepoint.

Last year Teresa published a fascinating book “Amazing Embroidery” in order to raise funds for the Lucy Forrest Scholarship Fund at Blackheath High School.

Teresa founded the Lucy Forrest Scholarship, a Sixth Form scholarship scheme at Blackheath High School, set up in honour of her daughter Lucy, to support talented students in art or mathematics as Lucy was an aspiring student due to start University when she died. More than 75 students have since benefited from this which allows them to discover their passions and find their future paths.

The School warmly invite you to join us for the talk and refreshments at 7pm on Tuesday 14 January 2025, at Blackheath High Junior School, Wemyss Road SE3 0JA. The talk will start at 7.30 pm. The event is free of charge, but we welcome donations, which will go towards the Lucy Forrest Scholarship Fund to continue supporting students who share Lucy's passions.

We also have a limited number of Teresa's fascinating book “Amazing Embroidery” available to purchase for a donation of £35 or above. It is a coffee table type of book, of 187 pages of sheer delight.

This meeting will be a zoom and a live event at Blackheath High School, Juniors. Please register via the Eventbrite link, if you plan to attend in person or via zoom, so that all can receive the zoom link.