Handmade Nation

Ive been dibbling in my sketchbook for a while now, and feeling like I'm standing still... need to get these ideas out of the book and onto some other surface?! oh me oh my...lions and tigers and bears! Well that's how Ive been feeling anyhow. Ive been fusing romanticised text with surfaces and images, both found and made. Also the arrival of some circle punches at work kind of took over my brain... God I love circles. Although a recent find (which I cant stop thinking about) Marcus Walters has got me excited about screen printing.

These are all the things I like, layering, colour and playfulness. They make me feel like I'm outside in spring. I'm going to put some acetates and stencils together over the next few weeks and play around with the idea of blockier shapes and colour. maybe this will get rid of my lions and tigers and bears.

 

I went to a talk this week 'in conversation with boys who sew' and it got me thinking about the use of narrative within my work, which is something always at the back of my mind. The use of embroidery as a vent to share information and bring peole together just feels so right in so many ways. It's quite a romantic notion, but has proved in many instances to bring communities together positively. Id like to do something with my students at work that shares in this process of community and making, but which is somthing different from the taught sessions.

The notion of craft and the ability to make things by hand to build confidence and develop a sense of inner self was a message that seemed to be voiced by many. Craft to therapise the soul. I read an article a long time ago that said the ability to sit down and make, even for five minute a day made this person feel whole and complete, and how true a statement that is. If you havent read it already, Handmade Nation is a great book that shares in some of these ideals.