Jessie Newbery
Encyclopedia
Jessie Newbery was a Scottish artist and embroiderer. Born Jessie Wylie Rowat in Paisley
, she was the daughter of Margaret Downie Hill and William Rowat, a shawl manufacturer.
A visit to Italy when she was eighteen stimulated a lifelong interest in textiles and other decorative arts. She enrolled as a student at Glasgow School of Art
in 1884, and some time later established its embroidery department, where she was appointed head in 1894. Her teaching was respected, as was her artistic work which helped to raise the status of creative needlework.
Newbery's appliqué
work gave rise to the rose motif identified with Glasgow Style, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
and his circle. She was one of the women artists known as the Glasgow Girls
.
She taught dress design alongside embroidery. She thought clothing should be practical and took an interest in rational dress, while also believing that clothes should be beautiful.
Jessie Newbery died in Dorset
, where she and her husband, Francis Newbery
, had gone to live after retirement.
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, she was the daughter of Margaret Downie Hill and William Rowat, a shawl manufacturer.
A visit to Italy when she was eighteen stimulated a lifelong interest in textiles and other decorative arts. She enrolled as a student at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
in 1884, and some time later established its embroidery department, where she was appointed head in 1894. Her teaching was respected, as was her artistic work which helped to raise the status of creative needlework.
Newbery's appliqué
Applique
In its broadest sense, an appliqué is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration...
work gave rise to the rose motif identified with Glasgow Style, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a Scottish architect, designer, watercolourist and artist. He was a designer in the Arts and Crafts movement and also the main representative of Art Nouveau in the United Kingdom. He had a considerable influence on European design...
and his circle. She was one of the women artists known as the Glasgow Girls
Glasgow School
The Glasgow School was a circle of influential modern artists and designers who began to coalesce in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1870s, and flourished from the 1890s to sometime around 1910. Representative groups were: The Four , the Glasgow Girls and the Glasgow Boys...
.
She taught dress design alongside embroidery. She thought clothing should be practical and took an interest in rational dress, while also believing that clothes should be beautiful.
Jessie Newbery died in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, where she and her husband, Francis Newbery
Francis Henry Newbery
Francis Henry Newbery or Fra Newbery was a painter and art educationist, best known as director of the Glasgow School of Art between 1885 and 1917. Under his leadership the School developed an international reputation and was associated with the flourishing of Glasgow Style and the work of Charles...
, had gone to live after retirement.
Reference
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography