Draw, Stitch & Play
COURSE OVERVIEW
TO BE CONFIRMED
(For pricing, please see below)
BIOGRAPHY
Jessie Chorley is a London-based textile artist, specializing in contemporary illustrative embroidery and simple patching techniques. Born in Kent in 1980, she spent her childhood in North Wales. The traditional technical skills and hands-on approach that she celebrates in her work today were passed down to her from her own family of makers.
While still a student – studying for a BA in Fine Art Textile practice at Goldsmiths college, London she chose to dedicate her life to making beautiful things and, shortly after graduating, she set up her own business as a full-time artist, designer and maker. Over time, she has also become a tutor, social artist and author, as well as running a shop and studio selling her work in East London from 2007 to 2021.
Jessie now runs her business from her private South London studio. She regularly delivers masterclasses from there, as well as at venues worldwide.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Traditional hand embroidery, appliqué and printmaking are at the heart of Jessie’s practice as an artist-maker. Needle and thread are her drawing tools. She uses them to create scenes and stories, combining stitched images and words, largely on preloved fabric.
Collecting is something that goes hand-in-hand with Jessie’s making process. She is drawn to items that display marks of a previous life and often sources materials from antique markets, fairs and junk shops. Her ever-growing personal archive of ‘found’ items serves as her ongoing inspiration and is frequently her starting point for an artwork.
“I find beauty and inspiration in things that have been discarded or put to one side – fabric cut directly from pre-worn clothing is my most frequently used material for my stories to grow on and into. I use many motifs taken from everyday life, that the viewer will instantly recognize and be able to relate to. But my work is not linear in its approach to storytelling. It’s a fragmented affair held together with scraps of memory, real-life events and symbolic motifs, all held in place with my many stitches.”
Website: www.jessiechorley.com
Instagram: @jessiechorley
Prices per person for 2026 are as follows:
Private en-suite bedroom (excluding Garden Room) | |
Single occupancy | €1,920 |
Double occupancy | €1,645 |
Garden Room | |
Single occupancy | €2,035 |
Double occupancy | €1,750 |
Lavande / Pavot gîte | |
Single occupancy | €2,150 |
Double occupancy | €1,815 |
Day student (no accommodation) | |
Day student | €715 |
Non-participating partner | |
Non-participating partner (sharing a bedroom with a course participant) | €1,135 |