About Anne

I have been weaving and spinning since 1960. I am mainly self taught, but undertaking research for my books has been a learning experience for me as well as my readers. To broaden my education, I began study at Canterbury University in 1983, and gained a Certificate in Continuing Education (1985), and BA. (1st class Honours), Art History  in 1998. Maori art and language have been an important part of this degree.

I have written the following books on weaving and spinning

  • Weaving With the Rigid Heddle loom (1980)
  • An Introduction to Weaving, The Four-Shaft Table Loom (1986)
  • The Ashford Book of Spinning (1986)
  • The Ashford Book Of Weaving (1991)
  • Spinning Wool Beyond the Basics (1995)
  • The Ashford Book of Four-Shaft Weaving (2007)
  • Collapse Weave. Creating three-dimensional cloth (2008)
  • Dévoré for Weavers and Knitters (2009)
  • Learn to Spin With Anne Field (2011)

I wrote and presented a video on spinning, and have written articles for the English Journal, Handwoven (USA), Creative Fibre (NZ) and I am a regular writer for Textile Fibre Forum (Australia and NZ).

Teaching: I have taught spinning and weaving for 30 years, both in New Zealand and overseas and enjoy sharing my spinning and weaving skills. I learn as much from my students as they do from me.

Commissions:I have woven large and small commissions for public buildings and private collections and regularly exhibit in New Zealand and overseas.

Awards: Guthrey Travel Award. Callaghan New Zealand Wool Board Award, Creative New Zealand grant to study at the Ann Sutton Foundation in the UK.

In 2001 I was the first hand weaver to be made a Fellow of the Textile Institute (UK).

For 22 years, I had a studio in the Arts Centre of Christchurch, weaving on a 16 shaft, computer-assisted AVL loom. It was a creative and stimulating place but in 2011, the earthquakes extensively damaged the Arts Centre and I am now setting up at home, with smaller, but more complex looms. I welcome visitors by appointment.

The practical activities of weaving and spinning; throwing a shuttle and drafting wool, are as much fun as the mental processes of design and colour choices. My work reflects my love of fibre, the softness of wool, the crisp feel of cotton and the smoothness of silk. Both the planning and execution of  of my woven and spun articles are important to me and my finished work owes much to the integration of these factors.