Art by Andrew Crummy
Dr Andrew Crummy MBE’s journey into community tapestry began with The Battle of Prestonpans. In 2009, The Baron of Prestoungrange visited The Bayeux Tapestry and returned inspired to recreate that epic format for Scotland. The result was The Prestonpans Tapestry, designed by Andrew and made by
community stitchers, which stood beside the medieval original in an exhibition in France in 2013.
A major influence throughout his work has been Mary, Queen of Scots, Scotland’s most famous stitcher, whose embroidered hangings hid secret messages. Her presence threads through his art, most vividly in his portrait of her enveloped in threads – an echo that resonates across centuries.
It is a resonance felt here at The Smith, home to the world’s oldest football, found in Mary’s bedchamber at Stirling Castle. In June this year, the football travelled to Miami for the Scotland v Brazil World Cup match alongside a panel from The Diaspora Tapestry. Designed by Andrew and made by community stitchers in Scotland and Brazil, the tapestry panel highlighted the close connections between the two countries during a moment of sporting celebration.
From The Great Tapestry of Scotland to The Cancer Tapestry, Andrew Crummy’s designs are brought to life by thousands of stitchers worldwide. This autumn, The Smith’s ‘Season of Tapestry’ brings together Bayeux Around Britain (with The British Museum), The Tapestry of Black Britons by Paula Ogun-Hector, and Andrew’s Gathering Threads – unveiling his rarely exhibited paintings, prints, and sculptures, alongside Cancer Tapestry panels stitched locally in Dunblane.
Discover the artist behind the stitches, whose vision finds its fullest expression in community.
Gathering Threads, the Art of Andrew Crummy now on in Gallery 1 and Gallery 2.
Sep 2 Sep – Sun 1 Nov. Open Wed-Sun 10am-5pm.