A long-serving Textiles Teacher in Oakham is celebrating 30 years of her work with a local art exhibition in preparation for her retirement.
Wendy Greaves, who joined Oakham School in 1991, is commemorating her time at the School with a series of works which will represent what she intends to do when she retires at the end of the academic year.
The exhibition launched privately last week but is running until 7 March in the School’s Wheelhouse Gallery and is open to the public.
The theme of ‘Unravelled Journeys’ sees the exhibition illustrate where Wendy began 30 years ago and concludes with her work completed at the end of 2021.
Wendy said: “Coming from Liverpool, Oakham was worlds apart from where I grew up and I was very intrigued to find out more. When I visited for my pre-interview, I was taken aback by its quaintness and warmth, but it was the Art and Drama Departments that really reeled me in.
“I immediately felt at home and the staff in both departments became my extended family.”
Wendy’s first role was Teacher of Textiles and Wardrobe Mistress, but over the course of her time at the School, the Art Department soon became her calling full-time.
During her time at the School, Wendy taught thousands of pupils and has seen many of them go on to succeed in the world of textiles and fashion. The roles students have achieved include being a Senior Designer for Sir Paul Smith, producing costumes for Hollywood films and running a bespoke tailoring company on Savile Row.
As part of Wendy’s exhibition, she invited back Old Oakhamians who she once taught so they could see her works.
Wendy said: “The exhibition is a fantastic way to celebrate my 30 years at Oakham School, and I’m getting to showcase how my passion for teaching and exploring textiles is at the heart of all that I do.
“When I started at the School, I only had a small GCSE group and two A-level Textiles pupils, with one sewing machine. Now, we have three sets of GCSE students in each year and A-level numbers are very strong, as are the numbers of students who go on to follow a career in art/textiles. It’s brilliant to see how much the department has grown over the years.
“My love of textiles stems from a desire to captivate the tactile and mesmerising qualities contained within nature and organic form. Landscapes have long been a source of inspiration for many artists, but it is within the realm of textiles that I truly believe it comes alive.”
For her retirement, Wendy has bought an old, converted watermill in North Devon, close to the Atlantic, where she intends to live and have her own studio. Her goal is to become a full-time artist.
Wendy added: “I’ll miss the warmth, the fun, the friends and the madness the most.”
Find out more about Wendy’s work and Art at Oakham School.
Categories: Oakham School School News
