Joan Charnley Archive
The archive of the designer and artist, Joan Charnley (1928-2016).
About the archive
This archive records the personal, artistic and professional life of textile designer, educator and botanical artist, Joan Charnley (1928-2016).
The archive spans 80 years of her life, from childhood sketchbooks to her final botanical drawings. It includes several textile designs from her time at the Manchester School of Art, alongside records of her art school work and dissertation.
Image: Chinese Lanterns, textile design by Joan Charnley, date unknown © Estate of Joan Charnley
Types of records include:
- textile designs, fabrics, botanical and landscape paintings
- detailed teaching and lesson plans from the 1950s to 1970s
- a collection of 35mm slides recording design sources
- personal notes, diaries, drawings, observations and photographs
- approximately 30 hand-painted textile designs from the 1950s
- approximately 100 small, hand-painted textile designs
- personal journals, diaries and photographs recording Joan’s school days and her student and professional life
The archive is not currently available to search online. You can view the archive in person in our Reading Room by making an appointment. If you’d like to bring your students to see the archive, please enquire about a group visit.
Access the collection
Photography and Copyright
You can photograph our collections for personal study and research only. Just ask for a Photography Permission Form when you visit.
If you’re not able to visit us in person, we may be able to send you a scan or photograph of the item instead.
If you need an image for use in social media, print or online publication, or commercial purposes, please contact us.
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