Juliet
Hemingray first trained as an Art and Design teacher in Derby,
England, 1974-1977. She was unsuccessful in securing a teaching
post and spent the next few years mending clothes and making
curtains, etc. It was in 1980 that a friend approached her
to design and make an embroidered preaching scarf/tippet that
he would wear at children's services. He wanted to express
the Gospel in a lively and colourful way, and so was created
the first design of the God of creation who made the heaven
and the earth - a fun scene of hills, sheep, fish, and stars,
moon, sun and sky.
Inevitably
the business began to grow as her skills became recognised.
The back room of Juliet's Victorian house was soon bursting
at the seams and customers were enthralled by the array of
colours in such a small area. Her Aladdin's cave has now transferred
to an equally bright setting of an old Victorian railway bonded
warehouse. Over the years she has been commissioned to produce
1000's upon 1000's of stoles, altar frontals, banners, copes,
mitres, chasubles and other religious regalia.
The
Archbishop of the Canterbury, the Most Rev. and Right Honourable
Dr. George Carey recognised her gift at a clerical conference
and invited her to make his Enthronement
robes which were seen by millions around the world.
On
the release of Terry Waite his church asked for a special
chasuble to be made to celebrate his freedom from captivity.
Rich golds, yellow and oranges were to become the combination
of colours used for a dynamic design that portrays the light
that he was starved of for so long.
Her
forte is in being able to take a seed of an idea and make
something that is not only a visual aid to worship but also
something of quality and beauty that will speak of the fullness
and richness of the Gospel of Christ. |
