May Morris Designs: The Essence and Soul of Beautiful Embroidery real flowers Sandys specialised in fancy portraits

Sandys specialised in fancy portraits of women in historical or fanciful costumes

A5 mounted print featuring a design by Tula Moon of tourist attractions within The Albert Dock

Each circular piece catches the eye with its show-stopping design

This short but highly opinionated guide to 66 of the greatest women painters of all time explains why they matter and what makes their work so magnificent

May Morris Designs: The Essence and Soul of Beautiful Embroidery real flowers Sandys specialised in fancy portraitsMay Morris (18621938) is recognised today as a pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, a leading exponent of decorative needlework and a campaigner for women artists. Despite being one of the foremost practitioners of her generation, it was design that May described as the very soul and essence of beautiful embroidery. One of the largest collections of Mays designs, from roughly sketched ideas to finished patterns, is held by the Ashmolean Museum.