Current Exhibition
Metamorphosis
March 11 – May 31, 2026
Location
Farfield Mill
Garsdale Road, Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5LW
Discover the creativity and innovation of textile artists from across the region in this inspiring exhibition themed Metamorphosis. Showcasing shortlisted entries, the display in the Loft Gallery explores transformation, growth, and change through texture, colour, and form. Each piece reflects a unique interpretation of metamorphosis, offering visitors a rich and thought-provoking experience of textile artistry.
John Stanley's Field to Fibre series of work is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of natural fibres, celebrating the deep bond between traditional craft, material, and the Swaledale landscape. This captivating textile work, a series of three, follows the complete metamorphosis of a fully traceable Swaledale fleece from its raw, windswept origins on the fells to its final form as a crafted artwork.
Field to Fibre III (2026)
Size 80cm x 100cm
Material: Swaledale wool and bamboo.
These site-specific, sustainable art piece celebrates the uniqueness of each fibre, honours local farming practices and the importance of traceability in materials.
Field to Fibre represents the culmination of the journey. A tangible, tactile artwork that both honours the fleece’s heritage and origins, then elevates it into a new form.
Field to Fibre I (2026)
Size 80cm x 100cm
Material: Swaledale wool and bamboo.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Join us at these selected galleries and venues where we explore the intersection of raw material and refined form.
The Royal Acedemy of Arts
Pennystone Creative Studio Annex
St. Michaels Church
Spurriergate,
York YO1 9QR
Summer Exhibition 2026
June 16 – August 23 2026
June 19 – June21 , 2026
Symmetry in the Dale
Nov 05 – Dec 20, 2026
York School of Art
Degree Show 2026
Main Galleries
Burlington House
London
W1J 0BD
Past Exhibitions
2025
Weather Forecast: Badger in the Wall Gallery Clapham
The Silence of Rain is a wool-felted artwork that evokes the haunting stillness of landscapes parched by drought. Crafted from natural fibres, the piece uses the tactile softness of felt to contrast the harsh reality of a world waiting for water.
2025
Make Things Happen: York School of Art
“Reweaving the Thread”. The drop spindle, one of humanity's oldest tools, represents a quiet act of resistance. John uses this instrument to spin fibre into yarn, weaving together layers of sources, intention, and repair.
2024
York Stories: York Guild of Media Arts
“Chrysomela”. A wool and felt study of the endangered Tansy Beetle of York, capturing its iridescence through layered fibres and natural dyes, reflecting fragility, rarity, and place.