Footprints Studio was a textile printing workshop in the manner of the Arts and Crafts movement established by Celandine Kennington in 1925 at Durham Wharf in London's Hammersmith. Typical products were hand block printed fabric, curtains, coats and shawls. The name ‘Footprints’ is said to have been on account of the foot pressure workers applied to the blocks to print onto fabric. Footprints was known for its preference of

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dyes over vegetable dyes and lino blocks over wood. The workshop was supervised by Gwen Pike and goods were sold through the shop ‘Modern Textiles' owned by Elspeth Little. Following the death of Gwen Pike and retirement of Celandine Kennington, Joyce Clissold (1903-1982) took over management of the workshop with Germaine Tallents. In 1933 workshop moved to larger premises in Brentford and a new outlet opened New Bond Street followed by another in Knightsbridge two years later. By this stage the workshop employed up to 50 people, typically working class women. The business declined with World War Two but remained active until Clissold's death in 1982.

Artists and Designers

Notable artists and designers associated with Footprints include. *

Phyllis Barron Mabel Phyllis Barron (19 March 1890 – 23 November 1964) was an English designer, known for her textile printing workshop with Dorothy Larcher. These textiles are ‘noted for the assurance and originality of the designs, their distinctive and s ...

* Joyce Clissold *

Marion Dorn Marion Victoria Dorn also known as Marion Dorn Kauffer (born in Menlo Park, California on December 25, 1896—died in Tangier, Morocco on January 28, 1964) was a textile designer primarily in the form of wall hangings, carpeting and rugs, howeve ...

* Erik Kennington * Elspeth Little *

Len Lye Leonard Charles Huia Lye (; 5 July 1901 – 15 May 1980) was a New Zealand artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives including the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Mu ...

Enid Marx Enid Crystal Dorothy Marx, RDI (20 October 1902 – 18 May 1998), was an English painter and designer, best known for her industrial textile designs for the London Transport Board and the Utility furniture Scheme. Marx was the first female engr ...

* Paul Nash * Gwen Pike * Doris Scull * Margaret Stansfield * Germaine Tallents * Norman Wilkinson

Collections

Footprints studio work is held in museum collections in the UK. * Works in th
collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum
* Works in th
Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection

References

{{Reflist Textile arts Modernism British artist groups and collectives