Welcome Jenny

I am delighted to be working at Rural Arts over winter 2024 and spring 2025 to research ideas to create a large scale artwork on site.

‘The Spirit of the Rag and the Corn’ is a research residency where I will be investigating the history of Yorkshire heritage hand crafts and folklore to inform the development of future large-scale artwork at Rural Arts, which will be preceded by an exhibition of the proposed artwork in April 2025 in the Courthouse.

I am particularly interested finding out information about the history of rag rugging and corn dolly making in Yorkshire, as well as wider stories of Yorkshire folklore tales and ‘apotropaic’ objects, that were used to ward off evil, such as plants tied on doorways, markings, objects related to witches, spells, giants, fairies, spirits and ghosts.

Over the next 6 months I’ll be sharing blog posts about my research so do check back to learn more.

I’ll be working on site on Wednesday 6th & Thursday 7th November (times) at Rural Arts Courthouse and would love to meet you, hear your stories and view any craft objects you have made from the local heritage crafts of rag rugging and corn dollies over a cup of tea and biscuits.

I would like to view examples of local corn dollies and rag rugs to inform my research to develop a large participatory artwork.

These local craft objects could have been made by yourself, or perhaps were gifted to you. I am interested in learning about local techniques, histories and stories associated with these.

I would also love to hear about wider folklore in Yorkshire, in particular objects and stories that were used to ward off evil in historic times, or any myths about witches, giants, spirits or any other lore.

Jenny Steele is a Scottish artist based in Manchester, and her current practice uses heritage crafts of hand weaving, basket weaving and passementerie to create sculptures that explore ideas of ritual, grief, festive celebration and belonging.

Prior to that, Jenny’s work largely used processes of drawing, painting and printmaking and focused on the restorative effects of coastal and nature environments. Recent commissions include Textile City for Museum of Science and Industry (2022), The Joy of Union, MET, Preston City (2022), Our Library of Light, At The Library, Crosby (2019) and The Seafront, Art B&B (2019).

Recent residencies include Minoterie 21, Brittany (2024),Arnis Residency, Arnis, Germany (2022) Cove Park, Scotland (2021), Fountainhead Arts, Miami, USA (2017) and This House for Building, The Tetley, Leeds (2017). Recent solo exhibitions and projects include; The Maiden Voyage, George’s Dock Plaza, Liverpool, 2019, Why be exotic in private?, The Foundry Gallery, London (2018-19), This Building for Hope, The Midland, Morecambe (2017), and An Architecture of Joy, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool (2016). Jenny is a graduate of Goldsmiths MFA (2007) and BA Fine Art DOJCAD, Dundee (2002).