Memories of Times Past

As we enter Spring I am drawn to reflect on childhood memories of the season.Gran was a Romany and she and my grandad were a constant teller of stories both over a cuppa or walking in the local park. My sisters and I  were told the faeries had just hidden from view as we looked for them when walking in the local park with grandad. My grandmother loved her tea and always had her favourite recipes for cleaning the kettle. 

 I look back on equally exciting trips of my childhood. It was often during the long Easter weekend break, money allowing, that we would make our annual visit to London with Dad to see the sights The Victoria and Albert Museum and The Natural History Museum were always on the agenda but some of our more intimate museums hold little treasures. A recent visit to the Garden Museum reminded me of drying herbs in my grandmothers kitchen but not nearly a stunning as Rebecca Louise Law's installation is called 'The Flower Garden Display'd' and was created using over 4,600 blooms.to support their current Fashion and Gardens exhibition (on until 27th April). It is a lovely space to visit set in the ancient church of St Mary’s which is the burial place of John Tradescant (c1570 – 1638), the first great gardener and plant-hunter in British history.It also has a great tea and cakes.

Students on a recent course at Maidstone Museum referred to old historic Ladybird book illustrations to draw upon their favourite memories from camping to a childhood swing in a garden in this work in progress inspired by the Ladybird Childhood exhibition. 

Bird Egg book Illustration form the Ladybird book of British Birds (private collector)

These vintage books from their historic imprint on show at the Batsford  Prize 2014 shortlist  have a wonderfully classic feel and I spied a new edition I must get for my collection.

Making my work allows me to revisit favourite places near and far. The planning is full of sweet anticipation and anxious packing. When travelling however, there are times I wish to be home and when home I get 'Itchy feet'. As leave I will enjoy all the new experiences and places and meeting with old and new friends, but equally, as the weeks go by, I think about the changes in my garden and the landscape back home and getting back to my studio

I will keep you posted. The postings may be brief and differently 'managed' as I will only have a tablet..we shall see.

 

Interior Landscapes

The weather has been keeping many of us inside more recently. Don't think we could face any more of this stuff. No matter how beautiful it can look

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.'  William Morris

Many of the patterns and designs we take for granted have passed down historically such as those of the Arts and Crafts, movement and ceramic designs form Spode are still available and can still be seen in the textiles and on the walls of our houses today. 
Inside  much of what we have in the home reflects our love the outside and the landscape like this wonderful detail of a tea service belonging to a friend.

The fabrics and ceramics we have in our homes often contain prints and designs of plants, birds and animals as if to bring bring the outside into the indoor spaces and can be useful starting point for new projects.

 

Detail of Arts an Crafts inspired curtain fabric and cushion in my house.Both gifts/donations.

 A sneak picture of a students skirt.

From a Tea Garden detail

Detail of a piece in progress from '40 yards' using an old fragment of French stitch pattern .
 

More details of exhibitions on my blog

Plant Life

Spring is just around the corner and life is showing signs of returning. I seem to have a bigger show of flowers in my small front garden now then later in the Spring the Vibernam smells wonderful, winter jasmine and  witch hazel are blooming and even the snowdrops are beginning to peak out with a little white and I have even heard news that in some areas primroses are beginning to show. Flowers come with their own stories. as described in a letter of thanks from a recent commission made in memory of the new owner's mother, Each Little Bird and Flower

 'My parents appreciated the simple things in life and had to work hard. They enjoyed the countryside and their garden. Mum loved her flowers and especially primroses, which she would take to my Dad when he became ill. She grieved deeply for him for the rest of her life, and sought comfort in things like the blackbird which would look from the shed roof into the kitchen, calling to her until she fed him. Mum’s favourite hymn was “All things bright and beautiful” 

 It is no surprise that our favourite childhood hymns or remembered poems celebrate the Spring season as we await for it to arrive.  These changes will feature in new works being created for exhibition in Europe next year including a guest  show at the 20th anniversary European Patchwork Meeting. Updates will be on my blog soon.

Plantlife has produced a 40 page booklet celebrating a highly successful public participation textile art project involving people from across the UK telling stories of their favourite wildflowers.
Patchwork Meadow

    

Detailed below is a page from the book marking a diversity of creative approach one of my favourites is Blackberry Thief by Ilene Sterns the page also includes my Hackney Marsh Edges

Tolpuddle Martyrs Tree by Nigel Costley, Tolpuddle Martyrs Trust is a reminder that flora  has a place in cultural memory, myth and literature as well as marking our seasons and landscape.

 

It was under the sycamore tree in the village of Tolpuddle in the 1830's where farm workers discussed how to form a trade union to defend their meagre wages from further cuts. The tree has become a symbol for democracy and the right for people to join together in unions.

I continue to mark the changes in my local area and beyond in new works and  being made for exhibitions in Europe later in the year. Tea Flora Tales will also be moving on so please contact me if you would like to make a piece to add to this growing collaboration. Below are some Australian pieces and collected scraps.

Red

As we enter the winter months the warmth of the colour red enters our lives. Most famously its significance with the symbol of rememberance  in the poppy and later as the colour of the winter festivities.

 'North Norfolk has long been known as Poppyland after an association made by the Victorian poet Clement Scott in his poem 'The Garden of Sleep'. Despite this, Alexanders were initially elected as the County Flower for Norfolk. However, local supporters demanded a re-vote and out of five possible choices, the poppy won.'
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/wild_plants/plant_species/poppy

In Norfolk we have a saying to Do Different and we did so in retaining the poppy as our symbol.

Poppy in the middle of the road, Preniac, France. 

 And of course remembering the nurses who also served. Detail of 'Roses of No Mans Land'. This piece has red crosses on a background of Belgium and French maps.

  

Red Rose Hips near the River at Medway. 

Detail of 'Red Barge Sails' shortly to be shown in Urban Nature at the Beaney

Love this use of red in an exploratory piece by a student participating in the Nautical Threads workshops with Dover Arts Development

Thin Red Line, folding book, using Origami folding method for dyeing. In  Japan the colour red is a celebratory colour.