We are delighted to welcome textile artist Jane Charles as the 2026 Muir Trust Artist in Residence at Discover Bucks Museum.
From 26 May – 12 July Jane will be working in response to the objects and stories featured in The SAXONS, drawing inspiration from its rich historical treasures. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to see her creative process unfold in real time, offering a glimpse into how contemporary art can connect with the past.
Jane’s residency will bring together a rich mix of traditional and experimental techniques. Her work will be exploring:
· Natural dyeing and eco-printing using plant materials
· Illustration with oak gall ink
· Textile techniques including goldwork and Bayeux stitch embroidery
Eco-printing lies at the heart of Jane’s practice. By using leaves gathered from specific locations, she creates textiles that are deeply rooted in place. The subtle, earthy palette of natural dyes also lends itself beautifully to interpreting historical themes, offering a tactile and visual connection to the past.
The title Glimmer reflects both the discovery of precious objects in the earth, a glimmer of gold emerging from the soil and the stories that they reveal. Jane’s embroideries explore this idea through subtle highlights of gold, reflecting the treasures uncovered by archaeologists and the human connections they represent.
You will find these glimmers appear throughout the work, woven into both the smaller embroideries and larger textile pieces.
Visit during the residency
Throughout the residency period, visitors are encouraged to drop in, see works in progress, and learn from Jane more about her techniques. This is a chance to engage directly with an artist at work and discover how natural processes and historical research come together in contemporary textile art.
Jane will normally be at the Museum on Wednesdays and Fridays but please do call on 01296 331 441 before setting out to double check.
Associated Events
Oak gall ink workshop: let’s explore the ancient magical ink!
Saturday 4 July, 12pm – 3pm
Learn about the ancient ink made from Oak Galls then use the inks to decorate and illustrate a small folded book.
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A Glimmer Talk by Jane Charles
Saturday 11 July, 2pm
Join our Artist in Residence Jane Charles for a talk which will give an insight into her creative practice and the work she has developed during her residency. Discover the ideas, inspirations and processes behind her artwork, and hear how engaging with the museum’s collections has shaped the pieces produced.
A unique opportunity to meet the artist, explore her work in greater depth, and see her work on display for the last weekend at Discover Bucks Museum.
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About the artist
Based in Milton Keynes, Jane Charles has long been inspired by the idea of “place” from landscapes and cartography to local social history. Since 2020, she has focused on eco-printing as a way of embedding a direct, physical connection to location within her work.
Her practice often combines eco-printed backgrounds with techniques such as indigo dyeing, batik, fabric painting, free-motion stitching, and hand embroidery. Previous projects have drawn on historically significant sites such as Secklow Mound, once a meeting place for the Anglo-Saxon Secklow Hundred.
About the Muir Trust
The Muir Trust was founded in 1997 by local artist Jane Muir in memory of her husband, Alastair. The Trust supports a biennial residency programme at Discover Bucks Museum, providing established artists in the visual and applied arts with time and space to develop new work inspired by the museum’s collections.
Booking
There are 2 ticket options available, both include access to the residency / exhibition; book our
Museum ticket
Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery and Museum ticket
Upgrade your ticket to an annual pass and visit as many times as you like within the year!
Buy Tickets
Image credit: © Jane Charles
Residency supported by The Muir Trust
