iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

It’s 7 years since we adopted this beautiful boy #caturday

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

We turned our attic into a pinhole camera . Magical eclipse

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Ian McQue @ianmcque.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Always loved these early Hockney paintings of Bradford

Oil painting of Eccleshill near Bradford by David Hockney

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Brilliant fortnight residency as part of the Textile Art Biennial, Slovenia. Exhibition works, talks and mentoring plus an ongoing project exploring the histories of the Ljubelj Tunnel built by prisoners of war at the end of WW2

View of the Julian Alps from the Ljubelj pass, Slovenia

Stitching Praxis exhibition at Layer House, Kranj

In conversation with Zala Orel With my textile work in the background, Kranj, Slovenia

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Interesting round table this morning at #UKReiif2026 about the challenges and opportunities for former industrial mill buildings and their regeneration in the north of England @heritagenetwork.bsky.social

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Local Boys in Bradford, 1972, photo by Don McCullin.

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

I did some unmaking and wrote about it here clairewellesleysmith.substack.com/p/unmaking-q...

Layers of printed fabric within an old quilt piece

Shreds of printed cotton attached to wool batting within an old quilt piece

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Brilliant Bill Ryder-Jones at Hebden Bridge Trades Club last night

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

June Hill @junehill.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Absolutely thrilled that our ‘We Will Sing’ partners The Linking Network are one of five grassroots charities selected by The Guardian for this years’ Christmas appeal. Please support them all as they seek to foster hope and diminish hate www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

theguardian.com

A guide to the Guardian’s 2025 charity appeal partners

This year’s appeal theme is hope – we are partnering with five charities supporting grassroots community work that challenges division, hate and despair

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Free screening of The Man in the White Suit (1951) 2pm, Saturday 18th Oct at The Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington as part of the #britishtextilebiennial programme. I’ll be giving a brief introduction with co-curator of The Synthetic Revolution exhibition Amber Butchart.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Towneley Hall Museum & Art Gallery @towneleyhall.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Towneley Hall is excited to be hosting the exhibition Pioneers of the Material World as part of the British Textile Biennial, which opens tomorrow! The exhibition shows how clothing made for survival in extreme environments was later redefined for high street fashion and counter culture. See…..

britishtextilebiennial.co.uk

British Textile Biennial

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Benjamin Myers @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

RIP Tony Harrison. Reading 'V' - THE great northern poem of the last 50 years - at 13 years old blew my mind apart. famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/tony_h...

famouspoetsandpoems.com

V - Poem by Tony Harrison

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Busy install week at The Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington with my co-curator Amber Butchart. The Synthetic Revolution tells the Lancashire story of the invention of polyester for the 2025 British Textile Biennial. Opens 2nd October.

Laboratory stories through 1950s and 1960s objects

Crimplene patchwork and Terylene bed covers

Amber Butchart stitching in The Haworth Art Gallery

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Allotment early morning, Shipley, West Yorkshire.

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Allotment evenings return at last along with the allotment cat, last seen in August last year.

Allotment, growing structures, greenhouse

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Dolly Sen @dollysen.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

I was commissioned by @dadafest.bsky.social to make a sculpture, and I made one out of charity collecting cans to spell out the word 'RAGE'. I made a film of me making the sculpture and reciting my poem 'We Need More Disabled Rage' youtu.be/SoqqpvgFfFo?...

youtu.be

I Want More Disabled Rage

YouTube video by Dolly Sen

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

☕️ It's notoriously difficult to list or preserve the intangible heritage of caffs, so this an interesting curatorial alternative. Fountains Coffee House & Grill in Bradford's Oastler Centre opened 1968, closed 2023. Now several original fixtures have gone on display at @bradfordmuseums.bsky.social

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Inspiring week in Ghent working on the International Winter School Cultural Heritage & Wellbeing organised by #TOON and @bartdenil.bsky.social Projects supporting displaced people using creative health 1/2

Sofie Verclyte - Migrating Heritage book about stitch projects in Shatila refugee camp

Herbs and spices on a flower patterned shawl during Red Star Line Museum sensory workshop about home/homesickness

Gallery space with workshop participants at Amsab-ISH Ghent.

Museum sign propped against a wall at Museum Dr Guislain, Ghent

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Reposted by Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith

Dr Lauren Padgett @drlaurenpadgett.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Happy #SaintBlaise Day! 200 years ago the largest St. Blaise celebration took place in #Bradford. This Bradford Museums blog I wrote a few years ago details the Blaise procession of 1825 . 🧶🧵🎉 bradfordmuseums.org/bradford-and...

bradfordmuseums.org

Bradford District Museums & Galleries - Bradford and St Blaise

This rather fascinating blog, written by our Assistant Curator, Lauren, explores why Saint Blaise, an Armenian doctor and bishop from the 4th century, was

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

One of my favourite emails of the year today - my PLR statement telling me the number of times my books were borrowed from public libraries in the last year. It makes me so happy to know that they are out there and still being read…

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Pleased to have contributed to the new Cultures of Creative Health book from @hudunipress.bsky.social edited by Rowan Bailey. I wrote about a project connecting Bradford groups to the work of embroiderer and educator Louisa Pesel (1870-1947).

unipress.hud.ac.uk

Cultures of Creative HealthJaneway-Logo-Final

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Such a good start to Bradford’s #cityofculture year last night at RISE despite the freezing temperatures. A truly community centred piece of performance and I loved the way the architecture of the centre of the city played a part.

RISE stage lit in purple, pink and blue and a large crowd

Large crowd waiting for the RISE performance to begin

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Very snowy allotment visit in Shipley W.Yorks this morning.

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Day 2 at #cmh24 Guislain Museum, Ghent. Workshop sessions and plenary with Manon Parry, Nils Fietje and Sarah Linn.

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Writing about madder root and post-industrial East Lancashire today with some grown at a project there and a Turkey red dyed handkerchief on my desk for inspiration. The area around Accrington was an important part of this industry in the mid 19th century #localcolour #textile

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Autumnal gloom at the allotment this afternoon…

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Dr Claire Wellesley-Smith @cwellesleysmith.bsky.social · 07/10/2023

Recording the last week through hand stitch. My stitch journal is a daily practice now in its 10th year. A way of reflecting and thinking through my making and research.

Small colourful stitched squares on neutral linen background

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