Book Review 'Symbol, Pattern and Symmetry: The Cultural Significance of Structure, Michael Hann (2013)'

Book Review for the publication Symbol, Pattern and Symmetry: The Cultural Significance of Structure, Michael Hann (2013). UK: Bloomsbury, 376 pp., ISBN: 9781472503121, p/bk, 24.6cm x 18.9cm, £29.9

Delving into the Pile: Analysing Historical Stoddard Templeton Carpets for Textile Design Process Explication

Within the textile design domain, the creative process often remains tacit and solely the knowledge of the individual creator. This paper describes approaches to analysing a collection of historical samples produced by the Scottish carpet manufacturers Stoddard Templeton in order to unearth and explicate textile design processes. The name Stoddard Templeton denotes a group of once prolific companies, synonymous with the formation and development of the carpet industry in the United Kingdom. Developing from Paisley shawl production, the foundations of James Templeton & Co date to 1839 when, with William Quigley, James Templeton patented a chenille making process which pioneered the mechanisation of carpet manufacturing. In 1862, American Arthur Francis Stoddard formed the Glenpatrick Carpet Mills and then A F Stoddard & Co in Elderslie. Existing for over 160 years, Stoddard Templeton designed and manufactured carpets for an array of highly prestigious Royal occasions and residencies. They also produced for events such as the Festival of Britain. The interiors of Glasgow Cathedral, the Scottish Parliament and the White House, have at one time featured Stoddard Templeton carpets. The companies designed and manufactured for ocean liners including the Titanic and Queen Mary, for hotels, bars, restaurants, offices and other contract interiors throughout the world. An abundance of domestic designs were created which carpeted millions of homes. In addition to their in-house design teams Stoddard Templeton commissioned an array of reputable designers including Charles Voysey, Walter Crane, Frank Brangwyn, Enid Marx, Marion Dorn and Mary Quant. Throughout their individual and collective existence, to assist expansion, a number of subsidiary companies were purchased. Regrettably, in the latter half of the twentieth century interior trends and consumer preference for exposed floorboards, hardwood, concrete and high performance surfaces for flooring, coupled with competition from overseas, led to a decline in carpet manufacturing in the United Kingdom. The closure of the remaining company, Stoddard International PLC in 2005 marked the poignant demise of the West of Scotland carpet industry. However, within the residue remained an unrivalled historically significant archive containing inspirational design references, design work, corporate records and carpet examples. A consortium comprising The Glasgow School of Art Library, University of Glasgow Archive Services and Glasgow Life formed to purchase and safeguard this archive for future generations. A group of textile samples from this acquired collection, now held by the Archives & Collections Centre at The Glasgow School of Art, provide the focus for this paper. The thirteen samples date from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Prior to commencement of the research, only minimal details listed on a conservation report were known. Visual motif, product form, production technique and impact of manufacturing process on design have been analysed. Through studying these artefacts it has been possible to uncover aspects of design process methodology and in particular the utilisation of inspirational reference library and archive resource materials in the creative process. In certain instances it has been possible to identify specific dates of origin, a complex task when investigating an industry in which design reproduction and adaptation played a prominent role. This study has formed part of a larger project examining the workings of the Stoddard Templeton design studio. The insights gained contribute to minimal existent knowledge in the carpet and textile disciplines regarding design process and designers’ utilisation of archival resources from a historical perspective

Interwoven Connections: Examining the History of Scottish Carpet Design to Inform Future Learning, Teaching and Research

As with much of the textile industry in the United Kingdom, carpet manufacturing in the West of Scotland was once thriving. Powder was ground, paint mixed, design papers painted, yarn dyed, spools set and carpets woven. The history of the carpet manufacturing innovators, Stoddard Templeton, dates back to 1845 when James Templeton, a Scot and then Alfred Francis Stoddard, an American, began to produce carpets from disused Paisley shawl mills. The story is one of growth, expansion, worldwide prominence and unfortunately eventual decline. Stoddard Templeton produced carpets for a highly prestigious array of events and interiors including royal coronations and weddings, ocean liners such as the Titanic and Queen Mary, for the Festival of Britain, for cathedrals, palaces and other significant residences including the White House. Carpets also graced the floors of many homes, hotels and offices. However, consumer trends and preferences for other flooring surfaces led to a decline in Scottish carpet manufacturing. Stoddard International PLC entered into receivership in 2005, with assets liquidated in 2009. At this time a consortium formed to purchase and safeguard the historically significant company archives. Within the remains were unique books, rare portfolios, textiles, intricate design sketches and exquisitely painted design papers. This paper describes a project that utilised this resource and in particular The Stoddard Design Library held by The Glasgow School of Art. By examining the past it has been possible to establish the workings of the Stoddard Templeton design studio, explicate the carpet design process, evidence utilization of design library items within the creative process and examine the impact of digital technology. Dissemination activities have been used to tell the story of this once significant industry and provide inspiration to learning, teaching and research. Examining the past continues to influence the designers and design researchers of the future

Skin cancer by state and territory

Presents the number of new skin cancer problems managed per 100,000 encounters nationally and for each state and territory, from April 2008 to March 2013. Summary There is a paucity of Australian state-based data on the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin are not notifiable diseases and are not collected by the state and territory cancer registries. In a 2002 survey, the Australian age-standardised incidence per 100,000 persons for NMSC was 1170 (BCC 884, SCC 387) , with a higher incidence in the northern latitudes

A decade of Australian general practice activity 2002–03 to 2011–12

This book presents ten years of data from the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health) program, and reports changes that have occurred over the decade 2002–03 to 2011–12, in the characteristics of GPs and the patients they see, the problems they manage and the treatments they provide. A companion report, General practice activity in Australia 2011–12, describes the 2011–12 annual results in more detail, available at .1 BEACH is a continuous cross-sectional national study that began in April 1998. Every year each of about 1,000 randomly selected GPs records details of 100 consecutive encounters on structured paper recording forms, and provides information about themselves and their practice. The database now holds data for 1.38 million records from 13,815 participating GPs.   *Other authors - Joan Henderson, Lisa Valenti, Christopher Harrison, Carmen Zhang, Timothy Chambers, Allan J Pollack, Clare Bayram, Julie O’Halloran, Ying Pan. &nbsp

Learning/Teaching Digital Textiles: The Role of Culture and Location in Linking the Physical and the Virtual

In this increasingly digital age, the learning and teaching of traditional skills and manual processes remains of paramount importance to undergraduate textile design education in the United Kingdom (UK). Previous research has evidenced that ‘…hand use, tactile skills and making by hand…’ by practitioners impacts upon digital tool use (Treadaway 2006: 117). In the majority of instances digital technologies have not replaced the traditional or manual, but have been added to and integrated in to the curriculum, facilitating opportunities for enhancement, innovation and the development of hybrid practices. This paper will examine the role of culture related to the structure of UK textile design education and more specifically student utilisation of digital technologies. It will evidence that location and access, whether physical or virtual, are key aspects in integrating digital technologies. It will evidence that location and access, whether physical or virtual, are key aspects in integrating digital technologies into education and practice. The Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) will be used as an example to demonstrate how both physical location and virtual access are vital to promote the further exploration of utilising digital technologies by practitioners from a multitude of different creative disciplines. Activities undertaken at the Centre provide mechanisms for knowledge transfer between industry and education, facilitating a new culture for textile design education and the next generation of designers

Interwoven Connections: Examining textile design processes through the archives and untold histories of Stoddard Templeton

This output comprises a journal article and conference proceeding, the research for which was developed through the use of exhibition curation as method. These publications are situated in a sustained enquiry into how designers act as curators, collectors and archivists, appropriating and remediating historical design practice, motifs and procedures to generate new work. The lens of a practitioner-researcher brings new insights into how historical design process studies can inform contemporary textile practices with specific focus on the use and management of historical references and design archives within a design studio.  Methods included archival research, oral history interviews, exhibition and social engagement. Textile historians have urged studies like this to extend design practice understanding (Hendon, 2018; Sykas 2019) and advance the textile discipline (Bye, 2010). Although historical references are often used by designers, investigation into sources and origins of motifs, and their re-purposing, is less well studied from inside the design process (Britt & Stephen-Cran, 2014; Sykas 2019). The only known similar research (Hendon, 2012a; 2012b) differed in context, content, and methods.  This output delivers new knowledge of the Scottish carpet industry and, in particular, Stoddard Templeton and their major contribution to UK carpet manufacturing. Although manufactured artefacts from the company have been shown in collections and exhibitions, this investigation is the first to examine the textile design processes of the company, using previously unseen archival resources. Findings increase textile design process understanding through uncovering hidden textile histories before they are lost and presenting these to new audiences. The work posits transferable methods, provides foundations from which others continue to build (Cleaver, 2015; Armstrong, 2020; 2018) and forms part of an ongoing enquiry into utilising archives and collections for textile research and practice

Exhibition Review - SAMPLE by Collect Scotland, The Lighthouse, Glasgow, Scotland, UK 24th March - 22nd June 2017

This article reviews the exhibition SAMPLE by Collect Scotland, The Lighthouse, Glasgow, Scotland, 24th - 22nd June 2017. The wider context related to the activities of Collect Scotland are described including the role of freelance textile designers, design studios, agencies and the trade fair Première Vision. The modus operandi of Collect Scotland, which differs from traditional studios and agencies, is outlined and this exhibition is identified as new activity for the collective. The various sections of SAMPLE are discussed and particular exhibits highlighted. The review concludes with discussion surrounding the success of the exhibition in terms of the curators' initial aims and puts forward suggestions for further development

Past, present and future: transformational approaches to utilizing archives for research, learning and teaching

This article focuses on transformational approaches to utilizing archives in the creation of textile and textile-related products. The existing context in terms of historical resource and archive use by the textile industry and for textile-based creative practice, research, learning and teaching, is discussed. Literature, projects and examples reviewed indicate reproductive, adaptive and transformative approaches to working from historical and archival resources. In the context of this article reproduction involves copying, adaptation refers to alterations and transformation involves complete change in form, nature or appearance. A deficit in existing studies surrounding articulation of approaches to archive utilization is identified. Three projects undertaken at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) are presented as case studies, which seek to fill the identified gap and contribute to existing research. For each case study, the aims and contributions to research are described and an overview of the project context and methodology is provided. Findings in terms of approaches to archive utilization are discussed, as are the outputs and outreach activities resulting from the projects, which ensures that to some extent, examination of the past informs creative activity in the present and impacts upon the future creation of textiles. The paper concludes by discussing how the case studies have evidenced varying approaches to archive utilization and proposes recommendations to formulate forthcoming strategies and activities

Reality check - reliable national data from general practice electronic health records

Since 1998, data about general practice activity in Australia has been collected, analysed and disseminated through the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) program. BEACH has provided valuable information about how general practice has changed over time, the impact of policy on practice and general practitioner (GP) professional development, and is the most reliable national source of data on GP activity. However, its cross-sectional design precludes comparison of outcomes of different approaches to care. It is estimated that 96% of GPs currently use computers for clinical purposes. However, some GPs only use Electronic Health Records (EHR) for part of their clinical work, such as prescribing or ordering pathology tests. Others are paperless and only use EHRs, but even in these circumstances the EHRs themselves lack the structure to reliably link management actions to a patient problem. There are at least eight EHRs used in general practice, each developed independently and structured differently. In short, there are no nationally agreed and implemented standards for EHRs in Australia, in three areas: EHR structure (including linkages) data element names and definitions use of clinical terminology and classifications. Therefore it is not possible to reliably export standardised data from general practice EHRs of a sufficient quality to be used for clinical and research purposes. With current policy focuses on data linkage, integration of care, improved use of the My Health Record (formerly the PCEHR) and attempts to use EHR data for research, the need for a reliable source of data from general practice EHRs has never been higher. Unfortunately there is no ‘quick fix’ solution, but the issues can be addressed with a targeted work program to address the three underlying problem areas. This Issues Brief describes four steps required to produce high quality data from general practice EHRs: A defined EHR data model that links related data elements Consistent data element labels and definitions across EHRs Use of standardised clinical terminology and classifications Accreditation of GP electronic health records. This recommended program of work requires a national, cohesive approach, involving stakeholders from government, professional organisations, the EHR software industry and organisations that use data from general practice