Role
Jane Bartholomew works within the School of Art and Design and currently manages the quality assurance processes and is a member of the School Executive Group and contributes to the running and future developments of the School. As Standards and Quality Manager, Jane works with all staff on the monitoring of course currency and health, reporting mechanisms, course documentation and the student experience.
As a lecturer since 1997 with a specialism in woven textiles, Jane supervises postgraduate students within the field of fashion and textiles and teaches on the undergraduate Textile Design course. Jane covers all aspects of design education, from drawing to colour theory and from critical reflection to career development and entrepreneurship within a contemporary fashion and textile design context.
As part of Jane's role she also works within an international capacity and her current roles include managing the quality assurance and enhancement as Academic Course Co-ordinator for our franchise partner KBU in Kuala Lumpur and as Verifier for our collaborative partner, Pearl Academy, in India who deliver a wide range of design-related courses. She also undertakes panel member duties at national and international validation events and external examine at other institutions on request.
Career overview
Since obtaining her Master's degree in 1992, Jane has had much experience as a business woman, firstly running a successful small business for five years designing interior soft furnishing products and working to commission. Jane then reduced her lecturing contract in order to embark on another venture to set up DITTO Textiles Ltd (2002-2007) which designed and developed quality woven and tufted floor coverings for the top end of the contract and domestic interior markets. Jane has also worked as a design and education consultant on a range of projects and these experiences have proved invaluable in providing the all-important industry context to support both her managerial and lecturing roles.
Research areas
Jane's current research interests are around student engagement and motivation, fuelling the start of her Professional Doctorate in Education in 2013. All of these experiences have contributed to the writing of the recently published 'The Design Student's Handbook' (Bartholomew & Rutherford), Routledge, August 2013. This has been noted as the definitive guide for all students studying design. It contains chapters on all of the disciplines, it covers the principles and practices of all of the design-based and theoretical principles and covers career and business advice for students as they progress through their studies.
In 2008 Jane was returned for the Research Exercise (RAE) as part of NTU's return in 2008. Jane's practice-based research was born out of the design outcomes whilst working as Designer and Manager for DITTO Textiles Ltd. Jane researched new ways to develop three dimensional effects within single cloth construction processes, working collaboratively with the UK woven and tufted manufacturing industry to push the existing boundaries and develop new products for the interior market place. Notable projects included undertaking a large scale project for Channel 4's Grand Designs referred to as "The Big White House" (the one about a large modernist beach house situated on the coast at Pett Level in East Sussex). Jane also designed a range of tufted rugs for the Alternative Flooring Company and John Lewis and exhibited an innovative product range at 100% DESIGN, Earls Court, London, in 2003 and 2004.
Papers presented at conferences:
2013 - Invited to give a discussion paper on assessment practice in Art and Design at the IFFTI conference, Los Angeles
2009 - Invited to give a paper at DATA's (Design And Technology Association) Annual Conference "Objects of Desire: Textile innovations", Loughborough
2007 - Present a Conference Paper on the Future of Textile Design in relation to GCSE curriculum content, design and delivery – The Design and Technology Annual Conference, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
2006 - Invited to deliver a Conference paper "Designing the Future" and workshops at the Extreme Materials Conference 2006 De Montford University
2006 - Invited to deliver a Conference Paper – "Penguins, Sharks, pinecones and space travel – incorporating new technologies in the textiles curriculum" The Design and Technology Annual Conference, University of Wolverhampton
External activity
- Invited as External Panel Member for the revalidation of the design courses at UCA (University of the Creative Arts), Farnham Campus in 2012
- External Examiner duties:
-2008-12 for BA (Hons) Contemporary Surface Pattern with Textiles
Bradford College, Leeds Metropolitan University
-2003-07 for BA (Hons) DESIGN London Metropolitan University
Assisted the programme in the re-writing of this course in relation to UK degree standards.
Sponsors and collaborators
Jane's collaborative projects include developing floor coverings for Margaret Howell (2005-2006) to be sold in the UK and Japan and, as a designer and manufacturer of woven and tufted floor-coverings, Jane has collaborated with Interior Designers and Architects to develop bespoke interior textile solutions for the floor. She is also interested in working with other companies to enhance their existing product range by developing innovative approaches to woven textile construction.
As a recognised designer of exclusive interior products, she will continue to provide a bespoke design service for woven and tufted floor coverings, working with Interior Designers, Architects and Property Developers to provide innovation within this niche market place. As Director and Head Designer for DITTO Textiles Ltd, she is pushing the boundaries within manufacturing and researching potential new markets for the innovative range of products. This provides her with a rich source of inspiration and knowledge which is fully integrated with her role as a lecturer.
- 2005: Investigative project with Lotus cars.
- 2005: Developing a range of floor coverings for Beans Beans.
- 2005: Collaborative and consultancy project working with Margaret Howell.
- 2004: Designing a bespoke woven floor covering "The Big White House" as seen on Channel 4's Grand Designs.
- 2004: Designing a range of tufted rugs for The Alternative Flooring Company being sold through John Lewis from January 2005.
- 2004: Developing woven floor installations for property developer’s Essenza Style in London.
Publications
Bartholomew, J & Rutherford, S (2013) The Design Student's Handbook: Your essential guide to Course, Context and Career. Routledge