Born 1936, London.

Noel Dyrenforth studied drawing, textiles and ceramic sculpture at Central School of Art, Goldsmiths College and the John Cass School of Art, London University. Since 1962 he has worked in the 2,000-year-old eastern tradition of batik fabric printing through which, in part, he wished to “resolve the historic dichotomy of art versus craft”. In doing so he drew on the artistic and cultural ethos of the 1960s and developed experimental processes and techniques, bringing a new contemporary aesthetic to his vibrantly colourful, abstract batik works.

Since 1965 Dyrenforth has exhibited his work extensively throughout the UK, Europe, America and Australia also, significantly, in Indonesia, Japan and China. He regularly travels to these places to present lectures and practical workshops on the art of batik.

His work has been acquired for significant art collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum London; the National Gallery, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne University; Toorak State College, Melbourne; Bradford City Art Gallery; the Crafts Council, London; the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; and the Guizhou Museum, Guiyang, China.

Dyrenforth has also written four books on the art and craft of batik.

Spring Cycle