Dr Michelle Stephens FHEA
Lecturer in Design Contexts
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 Design, 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'.