Connecting Threads

Recently I was able to do some work experience with two artists from Manchester, Emily Hayes and Becky Waite at their exhibition "Connecting Threads" held at the Manchester Digital Lab.  

The work was based on collaborations the artists had developed with people attending various homeless centres in Manchester.  It was a wonderful mix of drawing, print, stitch and poetry.

Throughout the week of the exhibition people were able to drop in to add stitch or drawings to a printed landscape created from the original participants drawings.  

Ruthin Craft Centre ... Japanese exhibition 2012

In the early summer I visited the Japanese exhibition at Ruthin Craft Centre in North Wales.  The work from the Nuno factory was amazing ... especially the way it was displayed ... long pieces hung from the ceiling.  It gave the gallery a wonderful ethereal feeling and made the pieces of work look monumental.

running alongside this exhibition was a display and sale of beautifully handcrafted japanese paper, bowls, textiles and utensils.

Irish flowers

I have just spent a few lovely days at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, Co Cork.  The gardens were really beautiful and full of beautiful colours.

Glyndwr Fine Art 2012

I recently went along to look at the degree show in Wrexham which was absolutely stunning!  The work was interesting, layered, and so interesting to look at and to read the artists statements.  Unfortunately I did not make a proper note of all the artists names.

helen darlington

vicky ellis

View from the ISS at Night - By Knate Myers

Michelle Forsyth

Michelle Forsyth has such diversity within her work it was really difficult to decide which images to share with you.  Her website is a treasure trove of images of her work so I urge you to go and have a good look at her work.

Her statement reads:


My work resides in a place between being intimately beautiful yet conceptually very dark.  

shadows. photographs and lace pin pricks

Egidija Ciricaite

I have just come to the end of my second year on the Embroidery degree at MMU so will have more time over the next few months to talk about my own work and the wonderful artists who have been ( and will be) influencing me.  I have a passion for book arts and recently found this wonderful artist working in ceramics but with a love of books  (website)!  


Egidija describes this work 

* Damnatio memoriae is the Latin phrase literally meaning "condemnation of memory" in the sense of a judgment that a person must not be remembered. It was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate upon those, who brought discredit to the Roman State. The result is to erase someone from history.

jannick deslauriers

Fantastic textile artist Jannick Deslauriers from Canada. These poppies are from her "Battlefield" series

  

whispers and shadows

drawing with stitch and mixed fabrics

ink dipped laser cut paper net

stitched flower on thermoflax, laser cut paper stitched onto thermoflax

Drawing

070307 (detail) 2007

I was given the book "Vitamin D' for Christmas and am only now sitting down to start absorbing it.  One artist whose work I love is in the book - Frances Richardson.  In a statement on the Contemporary Art Society she talks about her work :


Making a mark is a gestural act that for me scores the intangible physical reality of being in a moment and the suspension and presentation of this moment to the viewer. 

An Instant (detail) 2006

She works with + and - creating undulating, gestural yet sensitive marks on the paper.

Paradise Lost 2002