Dr Michelle Stephens FHEA
Lecturer
Michelle Stephens is a textile artist, lecturer and researcher based in the UK. She has established a unique area of practice through her amalgamation of digital and physical methods of working. This cross disciplinary approach to her practice enables Michelle to pull from a variety of skill sets and discipline areas as an educator.
Michelle has taught across disciplines on a variety of courses at MMU and at other institutions as well as exhibiting her work across the UK, internationally and completing major commissions for public spaces.
A defining characteristic of her work has been the sustained commitment to the conceptual synthesis of contemporary technology and historical textile sources. Currently, this involves the examination of technology as a design tool by using the coding environment of Processing as a method of reanimating the traditional textile patterns of Paradise Mill, Macclesfield.
Michelle’s doctoral research, entitled ‘Coded Cloth: How a generative digital design process for jacquard weave design can reanimate historical pattern archives’, was supported by the North West Doctorial Training Partnership in the UK, and formed the basis of a practice-based PhD within MIRIAD at Manchester Metropolitan University (2015-2019).
Michelle is a lecturer within the Department of Art and Performance, Manchester School of Art at MMU.
Research
Exhibitions
Stephens, M., Kelly, R., 2023. "Gaining Ground" at Haworth Art Gallery, in the Textile Biennale, 29/9/2023 - 29/10/2023.
Stephens, M., Kelly, R., 2022. Relocating the Loom: Handweaving in the Cordillera (2022) in "Gaining Ground", Crafts Council Gallery, London, 13/4/2022 - 25/6/2022.
Stephens, M., 2021. Reanimated Archives, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, 11/10/2021 - 15/10/2021.
Stephens, M., 2019. Coded Cloth, Vertical Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, 1/4/2019 - 5/4/2019.
Cocchiarella, F., Shaw, A., McCullagh, J., Stephens, M., Grimshaw, D., Mulhearn, E., Kettle, A., McCullough, I., McCullagh, J., Hitchen, J., Egan, K., Aubrey, K., Raven, L., Gannon, L., Biggs, L., Setterington, L., Beecroft, M., McLeish, M., Threlfall, S., 2019. Radical Response exhibition in partnership with the International Association of Design Research (IASDR) Conference, Manchester School of Art, Manchester, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019.
Stephens, M., 2017. Whipstitch: The State of Contemporary Textiles, Ann Arbor Art Centre, MI, USA, 31/3/2017 - 29/4/2017.
Stephens, M., 2016. Fifteenth International Triennial of Tapestry, Central Museum of Textiles, Lodz, Poland, 9/5/2016 - 30/10/2016.
Stephens, M., 2016. Making Space, Macclesfield Silk Museum, Macclesfield, 17/6/2016 - 3/9/2016.
Stephens, M., 2016. Modus Operandi: methods practice, Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, 18/10/2016 - 28/10/2016.
Stephens, M., 2015. 62 Group - NOW, Upfront Gallery, Cumbria, 17/3/2015 - 10/5/2015.
Stephens, M., 2015. Compression Culture, 26/11/2015 - 15/1/2016.
Stephens, M., 2014. CultureCraft: Culture in the Making, National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland, 21/1/2014 - 19/3/2014.
Stephens, M., 2014. endofthebeginning, Benzie Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, 3/10/2014 - 12/10/2014.
Stephens, M., 2013. Anna Cheyne Visual Arts Exhibition 2013, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 9/9/2013 - 21/9/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. British Textile Art Exhibition 62@50, Koyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 10/12/2013 - 25/1/2014.
Stephens, M., 2013. Construction, NI Libraries, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 1/8/2013 - 31/8/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. CultureCRAFT, London Street Gallery, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 29/7/2013 - 22/8/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. LOOP the LOOP, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 20/7/2013 - 28/8/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. Made, SpaceCRAFT, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 5/12/2013 - 13/12/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. Making it 11, Seacourt Print Workshop, Bangor, Northern Ireland, 1/8/2013 - 31/8/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. Pattern - Crafts Council of Ireland's Exhibition of Textiles, Limerick, Ireland, 31/10/2013 - 2/11/2013.
Stephens, M., 2013. Small Talk, Constance Howard Gallery, Goldsmiths University of London, London, 4/6/2013 - 25/7/2013.
Stephens, M., 2012. (work in progress), Craft NI Gallery, Waring Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2/8/2012 - 31/8/2012.
Stephens, M., 2012. RDS National Crafts Exhibition, RDS, Dublin, Ireland, 1/8/2012 - 31/8/2012.
Stephens, M., 2012. T3: Textile x Technology x Technique, R-Space Gallery, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 30/6/2012 - 21/7/2012.
Stephens, M., 2012. Woven Structures, Lisburn City Library, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 28/7/2012 - 31/8/2012.
Stephens, M., 2011. +1 Residency Show, University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 5/9/2011 - 30/9/2011.
Stephens, M., 2011. 130th Annual Exhibition, RUA, Ulster Museum, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 21/10/2011 - 20/11/2011.
Stephens, M., 2011. A Christmas Trilogy, SpaceCraft, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1/12/2011 - 24/12/2011.
Stephens, M., 2011. Fragments, Craft NI Gallery, Waring Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1/9/2011 - 27/10/2011.
Stephens, M., 2011. Material Messages, R-Space at the Linen Rooms Lisburn, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 14/12/2011 - 21/1/2012.
Stephens, M., 2011. RDS National Crafts Exhibition, RDS, Dublin, Ireland, 2/9/2011 - 30/9/2011.
Stephens, M., 2011. Xmas Art at the Ivory, The Ivory, Victoria Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 22/11/2011 - 31/1/2012.
Stephens, M., 2010. Christmas 200, Canvas Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 25/11/2010 - 9/12/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. Common Thread, Arts Care Gallery, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 6/8/2010 - 3/9/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. CRAFT FEST 2010, Tower Gallery, Castle Ward, Northern Ireland, 13/8/2010 - 15/8/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. Degree Show 2010, University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1/6/2010 - 30/6/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. Making Christmas Special, Craft NI Gallery, Belfast, 1/12/2010 - 10/12/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. RDS National Crafts Touring Exhibition, National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Bar, Castle Bar, Co.Mayo, Ireland, 2/9/2010 - 15/10/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. RUA Annual Artists' Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 15/10/2010 - 15/11/2010.
Stephens, M., 2010. The X-mas X-hibition, Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2/12/2010 - 6/1/2011.
Book Chapters
Stephens, M., Cunliffe, J., 2022. 'Algorithms - Artist's Work: Michelle Stephens'. In Cunliffe, J. (eds.) Record, Map and Capture in Textile Art: data visualization in cloth and stitch, pp. 187-191, Batsford Books, London.
Reports
Kelly, R., Kettle, A., Stephens, M., 2019. 'Creating sustainable textile futures for women: Digitizing Cordillera weaving tradition (CSTFW) project Evaluation Report March 2019', Manchester Metropolitan University.
Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2019. 'The Digitization of Cordillera Weaving: Designing a New Oral Tradition. Anthropological Analysis, Mathematical Symmetry and Technical Characterization of Cordillera Textiles', University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio.
Journal Articles
Stephens, M., 2015. 'Book review: Bauhaus Weaving Theory: From Feminine Craft to Mode of Design', Textile, 13 (3), pp. 318-319.
Non-Peer Reviewed Articles
Stephens, M., 2024. 'Book review: Interwoven: Exploring Materials and Structure, Maarit Salolainen, Maija Fagerlund and Anna-Mari Leppisaari (2022)', Craft Research, 15 (1), pp. 151-155.
Conference Papers
Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2019. 'The Digitization of Cordillera Weaving: Designing a New Oral Tradition', 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019.
Theses and Dissertations
Stephens, M., 2018. 'Coded Cloth: How a generative digital design process for jacquard weave can reanimate historical pattern archives'.
Other Outputs
Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2021. 'A Weave Learning Toolkit'.