Artworks – preparation before the hanging of the Dictionary Exhibition
Words, local dialect, and hand embroidery are central to my practice.
Each artwork began as a continuation of my Red Box series – square compositions of hand-embroidered text drawn from lived experience. I first wrote the narratives in English and, with the help of a friend in Fes, translated them into Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect, ensuring the phrasing felt natural, authentic, and true to the original sentiment.
This series of stitched Arabic text works is informed by daily life during a Moroccan art residency in Fes. Hand-embroidered in vintage red Sylko thread, it also pays homage to one of Morocco’s national colours.
In Moroccan culture, breaking bread is an essential part of every meal, symbolising trust, unity, and deep hospitality. Some of my most memorable moments in Fes revolved around its incredible food and the wonderful people I had the chance to meet.
Breaking Bread
Words, local dialect, and hand embroidery are central to my practice. This work forms part of a series shaped by my residency in Fes, stitched in Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect. Hand-embroidered in vintage red Sylko thread, it also pays homage to one of Morocco’s national colours.
About: Breaking Bread
This artwork reflects a new friend I met in Fes and a delicious meal he shared with us – with lots of fresh, homemade bread sourced from within the medina. It captures a lunch among friends. The words were first written in English and then translated into Darija with the assistance of a friend in Fes.
“Mohammed … a generous and kind-hearted man … worked in the bustling souks of Fes and knew every winding alley of the Medina like the back of his hand. A natural storyteller, he loved sharing tales of food, traditions, and Moroccan culture. With the promise of bringing us lunch, he arrived with a big beaming smile, arms laden with bags full of shopping and slowly unpacked … fragrant bundles of mint and absinthe to infuse in our tea, soft dried black figs from the Atlas Mountains … bags of hearty Bissara soup – he warmed up and served with dustings of ground chilli and cumin, and generous drizzles of cold pressed olive oil – and handed out a large selection of breads, all freshly baked that morning … dark and crusty homemade Khobz … warm, flaky Meloui flatbread, layered like pastry … wedges of crumbly semolina Harsh … Krachel brioche, sweet and rich, topped with sesame and delicately perfumed with orange blossom … and a wholewheat Khobz bread, rolled in cracked barley. Listening to a tapestry of stories and tales from the Quran, we dipped chunks of crusty bread into our soup … and shared soft figs, sweet brioche and a pot of refreshing mint tea.”
Original words composed by Catherine Hill.
Breaking Bread
Size: Hand embroidered panel measures 21 x 21cm approximately.
Darning Sampler 3 has begun its journey as part of the RepaiRED One Red Thread touring exhibition.
This year, the exhibition opens at Pour L’Amour du Fil in Nantes, France (15–18 April 2026), marking its first stop on what promises to be an inspiring tour. It’s a wonderful setting to showcase work that celebrates the beauty, history, and ongoing relevance of textiles.
Darning Sampler 3 – part of RepaiRED
My piece forms part of the RepairRED exhibition, curated by Textile Fest, which explores themes of repair, renewal, and the significance of mending.
