One Red Thread 2021

The final stitch

I’m pleased to announce that Resilience will be exhibiting in the One Red Thread 2021 Exhibition in Australia. The exhibition takes place at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum & Gallery in New South Wales, 4th December 2021 – 13th February 2022.

One Red Thread 2021 exhibition poster featuring textile images and dates for the Australian exhibtiion venue - Jervis Bay maritime Museum in new south wales
One Red Thread 2021 Exhibition Poster

The piece shows a Lancastrian weaving shuttle in a Cotton Weavers hand. 

Size 24 x 24 cm. Central panel 21 x 21 cm, hand embroidered and hand stitched with vintage Sylko thread. Hand and Shuttle: Eco-leaf printed vintage Lancashire cotton cloth. Vintage Sylko thread. Outer border:  Linen, surface designed with bleach and discharge paste. Vintage Sylko thread. Designed and hand stitched in three weeks.

hand embrodery of a hand holding a weaving shuttle - Resilience part of One Red Thread 2021
Resilience
Hand embroidered words around the artwork
Hand embroidered words around the artwork

Elizabeth Dubbelde of Berry Quilting set the challenge for embroiderers and textile artists to create a work under the theme EmpoweRED.
‘What can I do to make a stand about injustices, to raise my voice in protest? Hence “Empowered” gives us an opportunity through art textiles to raise our voices to show solidarity & support to victims of sexual assault. I urge you to raise your voice by creating a piece of work that relates to the theme of Empowered.’ Elizabeth Dubbeld, One Red Thread 2021.

Resilience is part of a body of work featuring Lancashire dialect.

Update February 2022: The exhibition is on the next stage of its tour in Australia and I’ll add further dates venues as the One Red Thread Exhibition tour progresses.

A Letter in Mind 2021

I’m pleased to announce that my work has been accepted for A Letter in Mind 2021 Exhibition at the Oxo Building, Oxo Tower Wharf, London. All artwork is original and priced at £85. Online previews start at 3rd November 2020 11am. Online sales 4th November at 11am.

Every piece of art is for sale on-line with the proceeds going to the National Brain Appeal. This is the second time any of my art will be for sale.

A Letter in Mind 2021 poster
A Letter in Mind 2021 Poster

I’ll share an image of my piece in a week or so. All the work is sold anonymously – ie. you’ll discover the artist once the work is purchased. I think you’ll recognise my artwork.

A Letter in Mind:

“After a year in and out of lockdown, many of us have had time to reassess our place in society and in the world. We are looking to tentatively re-establish our relationship with everything around us, as well as adapting to how things – including ourselves − might have changed. How do we make our mark in this different world? Do we want to continue life in the same way as before? Do we feel strongly about another role, cause or way of living? Is it back to the humdrum or can we influence, inspire and ‘make our mark’ in new and improved ways? People have made marks to connect, tell stories and communicate since time began.

….. Alongside the growth of the digital world, hand-made creations still have a strong and powerful ability to affect us in an increasingly ‘hands off’ virtual environment. All you need is a simple envelope as your starting point and the rest is up to you. Previous artists include Grayson Perry, Chantal Joffe, Ishbel Myerscough, Morag Myerscough, Mark Dion, Gill Rocca, and Mark Entwisle; designer Zandra Rhodes; illustrators Chris Riddell, Tim Hopgood and Polly Dunbar; architects Laurie Chetwood, Andrew Grant and Amin Taha; comedian and presenter Jo Brand; journalist and presenter Andrew Marr; actors Joanna David, Kevin Eldon, Sophie Thompson and Phyllida Law.”

The concept behind the exhibition is that the work should fit into an envelope of your choice. You can browse work from previous exhibitions in the online gallery.

Bankley 2021 Opening Night

Exhibition preview evenings are full of artists, hustle and bustle and lots of wine. The Bankley 2021 Opening Night was no different, only this time I was was one of the nervous artists sharing my work. The venue has three floors of artist studios and has a wonderful creative energy – a perfect place to host the exhibition.

Bankley 2021 Opening Night - The outside of the Bankley Studios - a former industrial mill in the centre of Manchester
The outside of the Bankley Studios – a former industrial mill in the centre of Manchester

So this was a very nervous me at the Bankley Open Exhibition preview event .

Bankley 2021 Opening Night - me standing next to my red hand embroidered artwork
Me standing next to my artwork
list of artists displayed on a wall inside the gallery space
Exhibiting artists

The standard of work was very high. I looked around the gallery and realised I was the only textile art in the exhibition!

hand embroidered textile art featuring writing about my childhood in the 1970's
Sound of the Kenwood Chef
Bankley 2021 Opening Night  - people in the gallery space pausing to read The Sound of the Kenwood Chef
People paused and read the piece

A few days after the Bankley 2021 Opening Night a brilliant online review appeared in The Northern Quota, written by Eddie Toomer-McAlpine. You can read the full article below.

review of the exhibition
Quote: Northern Quota review of the exhibition

The exhibition is on throughout October. Please check the gallery for opening times. Bankley Studios & Gallery, Bankley Street, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3PP.

Thank you fellow members of the Society for Embroidered Work and the Embroiderers’ Guild for giving me the confidence to enter!