Diana Springall

Diana Springall is, according to the Victoria and Albert Museum, "amongst the most well-known of all British textile artists", who has been committed to raising the profile of the contemporary art of embroidery through the Diana Springall Collection. Her work is held in private and public collections worldwide. As well as creating art and teaching, Springall has held various appointments including chair of both the Embroiderers' Guild and the Society of Designer Craftsmen. Throughout her career, Springall has campaigned for the promotion of embroidery as a true art form. She has assembled the Diana Springall Collection, an extensive collection of contemporary pieces from various artists showcasing embroidery as fine art.

Biography

Early life Diana Alexander was born in Simla, India, on 16 September 1938, where her father, Gordon Alexander, was Under Secretary of State in the Indian Civil Service. Cared for by a governess and an ayah, Diana and her brother Brian had little opportunity to mix with other children. With family time reserved for Sundays, the pair became well practised at entertaining themselves. For Diana this included learning to paint and stitch. Because her mother, Stella Fuller, was a needlewoman, she was immersed in domestic embroidery. Her initial understanding of stitch in India shaped her character and her creativity. In 2021, she was consulted about the conservation of this piece.

As off 2022, Springall largely works to commission.

As well as continued work and curation of her collection, she is also an author and guest speaker and was involved in a BBC series on embroidery in 1980, as a consultant and part presenter.

In 2025, the University of Sheffield awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Letters, recognising her contributions to the arts, her longstanding advocacy for embroidery, and her creation of Graduation, a large-scale textile artwork installed in the University’s Western Bank Library since 1988.

Artistic legacy Springall's commitment to embroidery as true art is reflected in her body of work, her leadership roles, her writing, and the on-going curation of her collection.

This collection stems from wanting to create a teaching collection so that her students could see and handle the real work.

The Diana Springall Collection is visible online. Embroiderers' Guild

Awards and recognition

Professional societies 1978-1985 Chairman, Emeritus and Life Member of The Embroiderers' Guild 2025 Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Sheffield.