Althea McNish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Althea McNish
CM FSCD
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| Born |
Althea Marjorie McNish
15 May 1924 |
| Died | 16 April 2020 (aged 95) |
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| Known for | Textile design |
| Spouse(s) | John Weiss (1959–2018, his death) |
Althea McNish (1924–2020) was a famous artist from Trinidad. She became the first Black British textile designer to be known all over the world.
McNish moved to Britain from Trinidad in the 1950s. She was part of the Caribbean Artists Movement (CAM) in the 1960s. She showed her art and helped share Caribbean art with people in Britain. Her amazing designs are now in many museums. These include the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Cooper-Hewitt (Smithsonian Design Museum).
McNish was a top member of the Chartered Society of Designers. She was married to John Weiss, who designed jewellery.
Contents
About Althea McNish
Early Life in Trinidad
Althea Marjorie McNish was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, around 1933. Her father, Joseph Claude McNish, was a writer. Althea loved to paint when she was a child. She helped her mother with dressmaking by drawing sketches.
She was a young member of the Trinidad Arts Society. She had her first art show when she was just 16. Artists like Sybil Atteck and Boscoe Holder from Trinidad inspired her. She also liked European artists such as Vincent van Gogh.
Moving to London
In 1951, McNish moved to London, England, with her mother. She joined her father there. She first planned to study architecture. But she chose to study at art schools instead. These included the London School of Printing and Graphic Arts and the Royal College of Art.
At the London School of Printing, she became interested in textiles. This means designing patterns for fabrics. Her talent was quickly noticed at the Royal College of Art.
After she finished her studies, she got a big job right away. Arthur Stewart-Liberty, who ran the famous Liberty store, hired her. She also designed a collection for Dior, a very famous fashion house. McNish was the first Caribbean woman to become so successful in this field.
In 1966, McNish designed fabrics for Elizabeth II's clothes. This was for the Queen's visit to Trinidad.
She also took part in art shows by the Caribbean Artists Movement (CAM). She showed her textiles and other art. In 1973, she helped set up a TV show. It featured art by CAM artists, writers, and musicians.
Later, some of her early textile designs were shown. These included Golden Harvest and Pomegranate. They were part of an exhibition in 2011. This show celebrated art by African and Caribbean graduates.
Working with John Weiss
In 1969, Althea married John Weiss. He was an architect, jewellery designer, and historian. They worked together from 1971.
John Weiss passed away in 2018. People remembered how they both helped promote British design. McNish herself passed away in April 2020 in London.
Famous Designs
Most of McNish's designs were inspired by nature. Some also used abstract shapes. One of her first designs was Golden Harvest in 1957. It was a screen print on cotton. The design was based on a wheat field in England. But she used bright, tropical colours.
Many of her early designs are in the Victoria & Albert Museum. These include Tropic (a silk dress fabric) and Gilia (a cotton fabric with tropical plants).
In 1959, she created large murals for a new ship, the SS Oriana. These murals, Rayflower and Pineapples and Pomegranates, were made from plastic panels. She also designed murals for the Port of Spain General Hospital in Trinidad in 1960.
In 1997, her work was shown in an exhibition in New York. The New York Times newspaper said her designs were "abstract, geometric fabric designs inspired by African motifs."
In 2018, Architectural Digest magazine named McNish as one of "Five Female Designers Who Changed History." She was also featured in a 2018 BBC Four TV show. The show looked at the hidden history of Black artists in Britain.
Her Lasting Impact
In 2022, a big show of her work opened. It was called Althea McNish: Colour is Mine. The show was at the William Morris Gallery in London. It was sponsored by Liberty Fabrics.
Rosie Sinclair, a co-curator of the show, said McNish was a "design pioneer." She helped make colour a big part of new design. Sinclair also noted that McNish was a rare Black woman in international textile history. She "broke boundaries" with her art. Liberty Fabrics even reissued some of McNish's original designs.
On May 15, 2023, a special blue plaque was put up. It was placed on her former home in Tottenham, north London. This honoured her amazing contributions.
Selected Exhibitions
- Solo Exhibitions
- 1958: Althea McNish. Woodstock Gallery, London.
- 2022: Althea McNish: Colour is Mine. William Morris Gallery, London.
- Group Exhibitions
- 1967: Caribbean Artists Movement. Theatre Royal, Stratford.
- 1978: The Way We Live Now. Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
- 2019: Get Up, Stand Up Now. Somerset House, London.
Awards and Honours
- 1976: Chaconia Medal (Gold) from Trinidad and Tobago. This was for her great work in art and design.
- 1988: Scarlet Ibis Award, Trinidad and Tobago High Commission, London.
- 2006: Honorary Doctor of Fine Art, University of Trinidad and Tobago.
- 2008: Journalist Angela Cobbinah said McNish was very important. She helped create new trends in home furnishings and fashion.
- 2012: Jubilee Gala Award for Achievement in the Arts. This celebrated 50 years of Trinidad and Tobago's independence.
