Things [ Hand Made ]

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My chance to wonder about hand made things and tell the world about those I make, love and cherish!

Saturday 12 April 2008

A busy week


It has been a busy week, children off school on the "Easter "holidays, 2 birthdays and 2 exhibitions.

I will go back a week to catch up.

Last Saturday we went up to "Art of the Stitch" in Birmingham. It was a child free birthday outing that was combined with Dim Sum lunch. We acquired a taste for Dim Sum in a trip to China and its quite hard to find a restaurant that does the steamed dumplings. Anyway even though the Dim Sum was amazing I am sure you would rather hear about the exhibition!
I was able to see the last the last exhibition in Bristol so I was determined to see this one in Birmingham as it may not come near me again for a while. We did walk almost all round the museum to find the exhibition but it was worth it.
I loved lots of the work, confused by some, disappointed by none!
i have tried to find links to show the work I really loved but have had limited success.
In no particular order....
Sarah Brown had made a fantastic book that portrayed the story of a bookbinder who died in Newgate prison in 1788. It curled along as a wonderful sculptural shape but with a profoundness to it.
Katherine May Carey had produced an "Action Man Quilt" that used lots of action man clothes in a random appliqued quilt. I wanted to know more about it and why it was made nut this is the only disappointment that the art works weren't explained. It was one of those things that made you want to see the sketchbook. I had an idea of a baby clothes quilt in the same way with a sense of security to it.
Marcelle Davis had produced 2 figures based on 13th century chancery dolls. Made me want to find out more about chancery dolls.
Caren Garfen This is a picture of her piece which is about the drudgery of house work and the endless repetitive tasks. I can relate to that! Its not that I don't enjoy being at home with my children but I just don't see nobility in housework!
Eleri Mills This was a beautiful piece with wonderful marks made with thread to produce the depths in the landscape.
Maria Ryan. A Norwegian artist that had produced a huge cloth with figures sketched in machine embroidery. one figure had a head full of flowers and I loved the idea of "being away with the flowers" rather than the fairies!
Zara Merrick. I wish I could find a picture of this for you as I think I liked it the best. It was a stitched comic strip of the story of Queen Berenice's hair, a 3rd century Egyptian queen. It was a story I had not heard before and I loved the colour and life in the stitching. It was mixed media with all types of stitching. I really liked the storytelling aspect of it and it encouraged me to keep on with my story boxes but I need to look more at the stories I am choosing.
It is a great exhibition and I recommend it if you can get to it even if your interest is crafting rather than art. There is a catalogue but as ever the picture are nothing compared to the real thing. Or hold out till it moves to its next venue..
I fancy Seville..
anybody for a coach trip?

1 comment:

Bev and Ollie "O" said...

it sounds great, I haven't been to an exhibition for ages!