Fes Archives - Arnolds Attic

22nd April 202622nd April 2026

Breaking Bread

Introducing – Fes ii: Breaking Bread.

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.

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.

Size: Hand embroidered panel measures 21 x 21cm approximately.

Breaking Bread is part of a body of work informed by a Moroccan art residency in Fes.

8th April 202621st April 2026

Time to Pause

Introducing – Fes i: Time to Pause. The rich culture of Fes is reflected in its architecture and woven into the rhythm of daily life. This is especially evident in the calls to prayer, which punctuate the day from before sunrise until after sunset.

About: Time to Pause:

One morning, I set my alarm for 5am – about half an hour before dawn – and sat in the darkness, waiting for the first call. Shortly before daybreak, a single soft, gentle voice echoed across the medina, singing the morning prayer. Minutes later, a second and third voice joined in, gradually blending with the dawn chorus of Fes’ birds, marking the beginning of a new day.

This moment inspired a poem I wrote in English and later translated into Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect spoken in Fes. The English version has a rhyming rhythm, while the Arabic translation reads as a narrative.

Fes i: Time to Pause, began as a continuation of my Red Box series – square compositions of hand-embroidered text drawn from lived experience. I first wrote the narrative in English and, with the help of a friend in Fes, translated it into Darija, ensuring the phrasing felt natural, authentic, and true to the original sentiment.

The work is part of a series shaped by my residency in Fes. Words, local dialect, and hand embroidery are central to my practice. Stitched in Darija and inspired by daily life on the retreat, the piece celebrates everyday rituals and quiet moments of reflection. Hand-embroidered in vintage red Sylko thread, it also pays homage to one of Morocco’s national colours.

Size: Hand embroidered panel measures 21 x 21cm approximately.

Poem: Time to Pause

Time to Pause:

Beneath the moon and countless stars is silence, all is still….. in tranquil sleep the city rests, in peaceful calm until …

The moonlight fades across the sky, before the rising sun…. Sweet birdsong joins a single voice: a new day has begun …

And this voice joins with others throughout the waking day ….. Five times they come together: a call to worship and to pray …

From mosques arise melodic tones that swell and fill the air…. And echo from the city walls, each alleyway and square …

And asks for those both near and far, from shop or market stall…. Or craftsmen, trades of every kind to answer to the call …

To pause, down tools, assemble, join with others, kneel and stand… In spaces small and humble to majestic, tiled and grand…

Prostrate, bow, pray with neighbours, fellow worshipers; before….Returning to their daily work, their livelihood, their chore …

This guide and rhythm through the day, this pace to life is met; From before the sun has risen until after it has set …

Original words composed by Catherine Hill.

Reverse of the work - Time to Pause — Reverse of the work – Time to Pause

Prism Textiles Exhibiiton

Three pieces from this series will be exhibited at Prism Textiles this April:

The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, London E3 4QY
17–26 April | Open 11:00–18:00 daily | FREE ENTRY

Prism Textile exhibition poster - featuring Fes i: Time to Pause — Prism Textile exhibition poster – featuring Fes i: Time to Pause

24th March 20269th April 2026

A Textile Retreat in Fes — May 2027

I’ve been holding onto this for a while, and I’m so excited to finally share it… In May 2027, I’ll be hosting a week-long textiles retreat in Fes, Morocco — and I’d love you to come with me.

Fes is a visual feast. It’s vibrant, layered, welcoming, and endlessly inspiring. Think winding alleyways, the hum of daily life, bursts of colour in the souks, and the quiet rhythm of making. It’s the kind of place that seeps into your creative practice without you even realising.

There will only be 10 places, so it will be a small, intimate group — plenty of space to explore, stitch, and soak it all in.

Experience hand weavers in their workshops

Plenty of time to explore the many souks in the heart of the Medina

What the week will feel like

This isn’t a rushed itinerary or a “tick-list” trip. It’s a chance to slow down.

There will be time to:

Sit and sew together.
Wander the souks and discover textiles, buttons, leather, cloth and hand woven rugs.
Pause for mint tea and simply watch the world go by.
Meet artisans in their workshops and see centuries-old skills in action.

I’ll bring a textile project for us to work through together, but you’re very welcome to bring something of your own too.

We’ll also explore ways of capturing people and place through stitch, responding to what we see, hear, and experience around us.

Visit the colourful street of dyers - processing wool and cloth for local artisans — Visit the colourful street of dyers – processing wool and cloth for local artisans

Explore Place Seffarine - where coppersmiths have practiced their trade for generations. — Explore Place Seffarine – where coppersmiths have practiced their trade for generations.

Come and explore its winding streets, where leather is still crafted from hides in the world-famous tanneries.

Our home: Dar Drouj

For the week, we’ll stay in the beautiful Dar Drouj — a lovingly restored 14th-century riad tucked inside the medina.

Settle into a quiet nook, surrounded by soft silk cushions and floor seating made from beautifully repurposed Berber rugs.

It’s a place full of character:

A peaceful central courtyard filled with light.
Quiet corners for stitching, reading, and reflecting.
A rooftop terrace overlooking the city — perfect for morning sessions or evening unwinding.
Each en-suite room is beautifully styled with locally crafted Fassi embroidered and woven textiles.

Step outside, and you’re immediately immersed in real life in Fes — families, workshops, donkeys passing by, the rhythm of daily living. It’s authentic, grounding, and incredibly inspiring.

Sit, sew and relax with a Moroccan mint tea

Dar Drouj's mosaic courtyard - sit and sew or enjoy a cup of hot mint tea — Dar Drouj’s mosaic courtyard – sit and sew or enjoy a cup of hot mint tea

Dar Drouj - The beautifully restored atrium above the central courtyard. Hand carved cedar, mosaics and decorative plaster work. — Dar Drouj – The beautifully restored atrium above the central courtyard. Hand carved cedar, mosaics and decorative plaster work.

What’s included

This retreat is designed so you can fully switch off and focus on your creativity.

Included in the fee:

7 nights accommodation at Dar Drouj (exclusive use).
All meals, plus welcome & farewell dinners with music.
Airport transfers.
Guided experiences, including:
A Fez highlights tour including a visit to the world-famous tanneries.
A mountain picnic at a beautiful location overlooking the city.
A day trip to Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes.
A visit to the Berber caves, offering a glimpse into traditional ways of life shaped by the landscape.
A storyteller evening.
Time built in to explore, shop, and meet artisans.
Creative guidance and textile sessions throughout the week.

Your holiday really does begin the moment you arrive.

Moulay Idriss image by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland - Moulay Idriss, Maroc, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91121713 — Moulay Idriss image by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland – Moulay Idriss, Maroc, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91121713

Ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Image by CarlOttersen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72699817 — Ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Image by CarlOttersen – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72699817

Why Fes?

Fes Medina is one of the most important centres of traditional craft in the world. Over a third of families are involved in artisan work — from weaving and embroidery to ceramics, leather, and carpet-making.

It’s a place where:

Colour, pattern, and texture are everywhere.
Craft traditions are still alive and evolving.
Inspiration is constant — in both the big moments and the quiet details.

And because it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, the entire medina feels like stepping into another time.

The central courtyard at the L'École des Métiers d'Art Shems'y (The Shems'y School of Crafts) - one of the many places we'll visit - full of colourful mosaic inspiration. — The central courtyard at the L’École des Métiers d’Art Shems’y (The Shems’y School of Crafts) – one of the many places we’ll visit – full of colourful mosaic inspiration.

Want to join?

If this is already sparking something for you, I’d love to hear from you.

Details are still being finalised, but if you email me, you’ll get first refusal before the retreat officially launches.

Contact me@catherinehill.art

If you have any questions about the retreat, I’d love to hear from you.

I can’t wait to share this experience — a week of making, exploring, and being inspired together in one of the most extraordinary places I know.

Tag: Fes