Karen Finch’s centenary, 8th May 2021
A lover of parties, the biggest party possible thrown in her name would have been Karen’s dream. But of course the pandemic has ruled out that option.
Many people have approached us about whether a memorial encounter was being planned and sadly the answer is no, but maybe one day.
But what we are doing is focusing on her website as the place to celebrate her life and achievements.
We would like to encourage as many of Karen’s family, friends, colleagues as possible to contribute to this celebration by sending their thoughts, wishes, memories, photos etc, for inclusion in the upcoming Centenary section of the site.
Messages can be sent via the website’s forum, or alternatively by email to info@karenfinchtextiles.com and we will upload them onto the website.
On 8th May we hope to launch an interactive map on the website which will serve to demonstrate the extent of the global network created by Karen’s students. Dr Frances Lennard of the Centre for Textile Conservation (CTC), based at Glasgow University, will be helping us with this project.
In time we will try to contact people as we seek permission to publish names and biographical details.
Karen as a baby
As the year progresses we hope to demonstrate just how extensive Karen’s worldwide network was, sustained by her dedication to maintaining regular national and international correspondence and her fundamental commitment to knowledge without boundaries.
Also on 8th May we plan to publish the introductory lecture given by Karen to teach the Masters course in Textile Conservation when the Textile Conservation Centre (TCC) was based in the Grace and Favour Apartments at Hampton Court Palace.
The plan is to publish the rest of the lectures with their accompanying illustrations.
These historical documents go to the roots of what Karen brought to the theory and practice of textile conservation, roots which, as Karen always pointed out, go deep into the history of humanity.
We hope that their publication will stimulate further discussion, memories and reflections which we will be happy to put on the website.
This is great, Katrina and Alan!
I sent you an e-mail.
Have a look at it and see, if you can use it.