1. 
   

2. Her work is much loved and collected all over the U.K. and the world. 
   

A life member of the Embroiderers Guild from the late
Vicky served as a member of the Executive Committee for six years.
She played a major role in helping to extend the world of traditional embroidery into a modern art form
Chairman and later President of Wey Valley Workshop
The basic ground rules of art or embroidery were merely the essential foundation upon which to build the creative artist’s own unique ideas.
1983-88 Member of the New Embroidery Group A group  of senior tutors affiliated to Embroiderers’ Guild.
Chairman of the Practical Study Group.
A great admirer of immaculate craftsmanship of the best traditional embroidery. Was charged with mapping out new horizons for embroidery.
1981-85 Chairman of the Young Embroiderers
She thought it very important to encourage young people
Co-author with Anne Coleman on a series of teaching aids for schools.

1980-91 she taught the City & Guilds course in Creative Embroidery in Godalming.
She was an inspired teacher & artist, and encouraged her students with gentle constructive criticism to lateral thinking and experimentation; she inspired her students to escape beyond the rigid tramlines  of convention in the world of art. Giving of her time, talent & enthusiasm  to thousands of students helping them to reach their full potential.
1993 Textile advisor to the Guildford Diocese
Advising on the restoration & conservation of existing vestments & furnishings as well on the design & creation of new church textiles something she thoroughly enjoyed her commitment in that area.

Vicky’s home and garden were shared alike, with family, friends & students, and  were sources both of inspiration and relaxation.
Constance Howard,
whom she had known for many years, was both her mentor and a very close family friend.  They spent many happy hours together. 
In her work
she explored it fully and brought to it her own individual touch.
The reflective nature of Vicky’s approach resulted in a vitality and freshness in her finished pieces. The knowledge gained was in turn generously passed on through her teaching to her students and so many of them are greatly indebted to her for that. 

Born & brought up on the Isle of Wight in 1939; trained at the Portsmouth College of Art where she gained a National Diploma in Design in painting and wood engraving.

1978 She completed City & Guilds course of Creative Embroidery.

A personal statement of Vicky’s:
“An interest in pattern in all its complexities has been at the forefront of my work for many years, and I have enjoyed exploring abstract, figurative and symbolic patterns and their interactions in a variety of media and methods.  Inspiration ranges from natural sources such as landscape and gardens to more abstract imagery, derived from a diversity of cultures.  Colour is very important to me, however wide or limited the palette used in a piece of work.  The patterns in my work evolved in printed imagery as well as appliqué and simple stitchery on a variety of surfaces.  I work almost entirely with hand stitching, enjoying the physical experience of using thread on cloth. The mixed media pieces incorporate a variety of surfaces as well as methods of embellishment, including paint, dye, wax and gesso.”

Her level of commitment in each of these groups was immense.

When Vicky died on February 3rd 2001
the members of Wey Valley Workshop, wanted to commemorate in some way the great legacy she had left behind.  A small group of friends and colleagues from this textile workshop, formed a committee to do this. The culmination of our research has been a set of glossy cards of examples of her work which, we hope will be both decorative and educational.
Vicky’s Folder

Whilst we were working on the project we felt as if we had opened up a veritable treasure trove.  We all thought that we knew Vicky and her work so well, but were nevertheless astounded by the quality, wealth and range of her talents.

We have all felt very privileged to have had free access to her work, slides, design sheets and sometimes, notes.  We are indebted to Michael her husband and Sarah her daughter, for their help and support.  It has given us further insight into the way she worked.  Vicky’s embroidery was timeless and always innovative, her enthusiasm infectious.   Her work encompassed a great many different aspects covering a wide range of design methods and traditional techniques, becoming a leader in the modern movements in the embroidery world. None of the images in this folder has ever been published anywhere, making it a quite unique.

Dorothy Tucker
reviewed the folder for us with these words:

“Wey Valley Workshop has produced a tribute to Vicky Lugg. A colour folder containing eight high gloss A5 cards of her work with text and a short biography.  A wonderful memory and teaching aid.  This beautiful folder of high gloss cards is a delight to receive and open.  It contains a way into appreciating Vicky Lugg's finely tuned sense of colour and composition, her love of gardens and pattern but above all her skilled use of simple stitches to create some of the best hand stitched embroideries of its time.  Each card can be enjoyed in its own right.  Presented as a display they work well together.  The thought that has been given to size, quality of photography and printing, content and placing of the text and the choice to laminate each card provided an excellent resource for teachers and students.  The wealth of visual and written information presented in this attractive folder gives both a lasting tribute and insight to Vicky Lugg’s teaching and an invaluable source of information and inspiration for embroiderers today.  The thought that has been given to size, quality of photography and printing, content and placing of the text and the choice to laminate each card provided an excellent resource for teachers and students.    It has been a special experience.  I can see and feel the amount of time and loving care that has gone into creating this pack and a great generosity of spirit for everyone involved.”

©2003 Ruth Collins & Wey Valley Workshop

2003 At the Godalming Museum Godalming

An exhibition of Vicky's work was held, on show were many pieces loaned to us from private collections  as well as her work now owned by Michael Lugg. And it was wonderful to see, for the first and only time, gathered together so much of Vicky's lovely work.
It which was a huge success, with many visitors from all over the country.   

It was a wonderful opportunity, a unique occasion and a fitting tribute to her talent

1.   see our albums:
     for more photos of    Vicky’s work