Biography

Lois Walpole was born in London in 1952. She is married to the artist JJ Ignatius Brennan and lives in The Shetland Islands and South West France.

Lois started her artistic education at Bristol Polytechnic in 1971 (Foundation) and graduated from St Martins School of Art with a B.A.(Hons) in Sculpture in 1975. City and Guilds qualifications in Basket Making from the London College of Furniture followed in 1982 and in 2003 she completed a Doctorate at the Royal College of Art in London.

Lois has exhibited her work continuously since 1982, details of which are on the Exhibitions page of this site. Teaching is also an important part of her work.

In 1984 her name was added to the Index of Selected Makers at the UK Crafts Council. She is also a member of the Basketmakers’ Association, the Scottish Basketmakers Circle and a Yeoman Member of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers.

From 1983 to 1988 Lois was a part-time lecturer at the London College of Furniture with responsibility for the City & Guilds Basket Making course and since 1985 she has been a visiting lecturer on a one-off, or occasional basis at the following colleges:

Manchester Polytechnic - Textiles Department
Glasgow School of Art - Textiles Department
University of Wolverhampton - Wood, Metal, Plastics
Crewe and Alsager College - Crafts Degree Course
Parnham, School for Craftsmen in Wood
University College London - Architecture
University of Brighton - Wood, Metal, Plastics and Postgraduate Studies
Goldsmiths College - Textiles Department
Middlesex Polytechnic - Visual Arts, Jewellery
Chelsea School of Art - Mural Design
Loughborough University - Woven Textiles
Winchester School of Art - Foundation
Derby University - Applied Arts Green
Winchester - Foundation
London College of Fashion - Accessories
Kuopio Academy of Crafts and Design, Finland
City Lit, London - City and Guilds Basket Making
University of Wales, Cardiff - Textiles
Goldsmiths University, Sustainable Design

From 1991 to 1994 Lois was an External Assessor for the Wood, Metal and Plastics Degree Course at the University of Woverhampton.

She has given a number of Public Lectures...

2006 Clikkimin Centre, Lerwick, Shetland
2006 Centrad, Lugo, Spain
2003 Anvil Theatre, Basingstoke
1999 St. Helier, Jersey
1987 Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
1982 El Paso City Museum, Texas, USA

...and has received various awards...

2007 Walmsley Bursary, for study of palm plaiting techniques
2003 Transco Sustainable Business Award
2000 Arts and Humanities Research Board, Award for Doctoral Study
1999 Worshipful Company of Basketmakers Bursary
1997 London Arts Board Grant for equipment purchase
1987 British Council Grant for exhibition in Toronto, Canada
1987 Paul Reilly Prize for best stand at Chelsea Crafts Fair
1985 Crafts Council Grant for exhibition expenses