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July 26, 2020 In Art, Textile Art

What is yarn bombing?

Lace Covered Kangaroos by Annette Fitton at the Trivento International Yarn Bombing Event 2019

 

We’ve all heard of Yarn Bombing but I was curious about what exactly it is and how you go about it. Australian artist Annette Fitton has taken part in Yarn Bombing events all over the world and kindly answered my questions. 

 

1. What exactly is yarn bombing?

 Yarn bombing is a street art, a form of graffiti using textiles instead of paint. Yarn bombers might add tags, put up murals, leave messages or cover parts of or whole inanimate objects. It has other names too, Guerilla Knitting and Yarn Storming for example. Any technique using yarn to add colour and life to an object is recognised as yarn bombing.

 

2. Some of your events seem organised, do you ever do random yarn bombing?
Lately all the projects I have been involved with have taken months to produce and assemble, an international event, some commissions and an art trail. The last yarn bombing project I knitted independently took quite a lot of time and organising too. I sought permission from the owner of the land where the trees I planned to cover grew. I wanted to be sure the land owner knew I would remove the knitting after a month. I haven’t done any totally random yarn bombing.

 

3. If it’s not organised is it seen as wool graffiti and can you get into trouble? 
As far as I have seen, Melbourne is very accommodating when it comes to accepting wool graffiti however it is considered polite to ask for permission before graffiti is put on private property and to remove it in good time.

 

4. Yarn bombing a tree looks complicated. How do you go about that? 
A detailed list of measurements needs to be made before yarn bombing a particular tree. If the tree cosy fits well with stripes or patterns lining up and all joints between branches and main trunk covered it will look its best. If you have a strip you would like to put on a tree and you find a branch or stem the same size or smaller then your strip that would work too.

 

5. How long does it stay up for?
Six weeks is probably the optimal length of time a yarn bombing can be left in place. Depending on the location, time of the year and exposure to the elements yarn bombing can stay up, relatively clean and neat looking, for as many as two or three months. For the sake of their health yarn bombed trees should be uncovered after six to eight weeks at the most.

 

6. Do people have yarn bombing clubs? If so how would you recommend you start one?

Search social media and you will find yarn bombing groups, large and small, public and private. If you would like to start one of your own you could ask your knit and crochet loving friends to join you, put together a group on Facebook or meet up. Find a spot in your area that could do with some colourful decoration. Think up and plan the size and time frame of your project, what you will cover, how much of it, the colours and patterns you will use and when and how you will install it. Start small, document your progress and share your results if you like. #yarnbombing

 

July 25 2020

 

June 18, 2020 In Art, Textile Art

Art textiles by Helene Barrier at Iconoklastes

 

       

 

French textile artists Helene Barrier also known as Ikonoclastes has worked in various studios and art residences around the world but is now based in Paris. Her work often includes upcycling and I caught up with her to ask her about this beautiful piece she created called Mitch. 

 

What is your background in textiles?

Most of my craft comes from experimenting with various materials in a sort of instinctive way. I would eventually learn specific technics (like serigraphy or ceramic) with other artists, sharing trades and building friendships around the world.

 

Tell me more about Mitch

It all started with Charles Laughton’s ‘The night of the Hunter‘. In the movie the main character is played by Robert Mitchum, which inspired the name ‘Mitch‘. ‘Love,’ and ‘Hate,’ were the first two words I embroidered on the armchair, matching Mitchum’s on screen tattoos, and breathing a new life into the old piece of furniture. I then imagined what other types of tattoos could be hidden under the fake preacher’s dark clothes, and the armchair became a mirror image of the character’s body, a heavy  shape filled with mystery and a sombre duality.

Dark blue lines of thread spread like muscle fibers in all directions, in either tension or looseness, drawing flora and fauna and animal shapes reminiscent of the nocturnal environment of the movie. The Love side of the armchair displays a safe and welcoming scenery of houses, while the Hate side bears the threat of a large spiderweb ready to ensnare the two children in the story. On the back, right above a wide open eye, one can read ‘Does he ever sleep?’, an ominous reference to the relentless hunter.

Loose threads on the top of the seat are a reminder of the river and its vegetation.

I always grounded my work in a spirit of upcycling, giving a new life to discarded objects of everyday’s life, and Mitch turned out to become, through more than 400 hours of work, one of my favourite pieces.

 

Find out more about Helene Barrier at www.iconoklastes.com  and her blog http://iconoklastes.blogspot.fr

iconoclastes

iconoclastes

 

 

 

 

 

June 11, 2020 In Art, Photography

Tips to photograph textile art

     

 

Presenting your textile art is more important than ever before. Entire careers can be made from your online presence but for many artists

showing the detail and real colours of their work can be a challenge.

I caught up with photographer and web designer Katie Vandyck for some tips on how to get the best from your artwork. Here is a brief summary

of her very helpful blog post (see below for the link). Feel free to download the image above as a checklist.

 

1. USE A TRIPOD – Lighting is key to making your art look amazing a tripod is essential for holding your camera steady while the camera deals with the shutter speed. They don’t have to be brand new. If you look on second hand sites you can usually pick them up for a reasonable amount. 

2. DIRECTION OF LIGHTING – When using daylight position your textiles opposite a window in a white room if possible as it gives no colour cast to your image. 

3. AVOID USING A WIDE ANGLED LENS – This causes distortion. 

4. POSTIONING YOUR TRIPOD – Place your tripod far enough back to take in the whole image and ensure your camera is level with the middle of the image. 

 

Katie explains this perfectly and in more detail (including lighting) on the blog on her website at https://katievandyckwebsites.co.uk

 

 

 

 

May 4, 2020 In Textile Art

Interview with S.E.W

 

[Centre image: From left: Art by Cat Frampton, Emily Tull, Elizabeth Griffiths, Frances Palgrave, Sarah Gwyer, Kate Tume, Dr Jessica Grimm, Rowena Liley. Sculpture in foreground by Lou Baker. Dolly by Annie Taylor]

 

Cat Frampton and Emily Tull started S.E.W in 2018 to help promote and support artists who use stitch and show the art world that stitching is art. I couldn’t agree more, which is why I interviewed them to find out more.

 

What exactly is S.E.W? 

S.E.W stands for Society For Embroidered Work, a society for artists who have a stitched element in their work. We were unaware of a Society for artists who stitched, there are for painters, graphic art…and also Guilds and various groups for textile artists but nothing for those who fall in-between the gaps, or don’t necessarily sit neatly in the description. Unfortunately still in these times it can be frowned upon if an artist has stitch in their work, and many artists can feel that they don’t fit into a category. Our member’s artwork cover a broad spectrum from traditional textiles to art in which concrete, bark, paint or household items are stitched into. The aim of S.E.W is to promote and support artists who have an element of stitching in their artworks, hand or machine and traditional or contemporary forms of embroidery but also to host exhibitions to show the art world that stitched art is art!

 

When and why did you start it?

S.E.W was started after we (Cat Frampton and Emily Tull) got chatting on Instagram, in 2018. We didn’t know each other well and had in fact never met, only connecting over a shared anger at being rejected from a couple of exhibitions, rejections that felt as if they were based in a misapprehension about embroidery. We both understood that rejection is a normal part of being an artist, but when no embroidery is selected for an ‘open’ exhibition, or there is not even a tick box on the exhibition submission form for your medium, it becomes frustratingly obvious that you are not working in a level playing field. 

Stitched art is art, but being an artists who uses a needle in their work, you are constantly having to fight against the idea that it’s a lesser art form than, say, painting or sculpture. People have a weird perception of embroidery and the Society for Embroidered Work was born out of wanting to change that. 

 

How many members do you currently have?

We currently stand at just over 460 members worldwide.

 

What are you looking for in members?

We are looking for members who take their work seriously. We don’t care about what stitches people use, what they stitch into, if the work is wholly stitched or only has a small stitched element, we don’t care if the artists is stitching into fabric or embedding embroidery into concrete. 

What we are looking for is artists who have a clear vision and strong individual style. From established artists to beginners showing strong promise, we are  looking for those that are making art using stitches. 


If people are interested in applying to join how does it work?

We hold  membership open calls. The submission required consists of good quality clear photographs – we want to see the art not the reflection in the glass of a frame. An artist’s statement, we want to learn what motivates and inspires you work, we are not concerned with grammar or spelling or pretentious waffle just that you see yourself as an artist making art. We also ask for social media and website links just in case we need to see more work.

Is someone is interested in applying to our next call out we just ask for them to really consider what images they put forward – do they really sum up your practice? Although we ask for web links we don’t look at everyone’s as there is a large number to go through and so first impressions really do count.

 

When is your next exhibition?

Our current exhibition plans have been shelved for the next few months. We did have a few things planned, but obviously, right now, exhibition planning is up in the air. We hope to have another excellent exhibition as soon as we possibly can. 

 

To find out more visit www.societyforembroideredwork.com

 

February 24, 2020 In Art, Textile Art

Penny Mateer & Martha Wasik

         

Above: Full quilt and detail of ‘Fight the Power! #15 Protest Series. 58 x 77 inches Penny Mater & Martha Wasik

 

Until I saw Penny Mateer’s and Martha Wasik’s quilt I didn’t know about the 1968 Olympics where Americans Tommie Smith and John Carols and Australian Peter Norman made their silent gesture about human rights. Skip forward a generation to recent times and another silent gesture from American Football former quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Inspired by both events, this powerful quilt ‘honours unarmed African-Americans who died at the hands of the police to exemplify Kapepernick’s message and raise awareness.’

As well as this Penny has also created the series #intodaysnews. On the inauguration of President Trump she compiled a daily collage of images from The New York Times all of which are being exhibited.

 

Fight the Power! #15 Protest Series and #intodaysnews and #socialjustice will be exhibited at the Brew House Association (http://brewhousearts.org/gallery/) until March 21st. THIS Revolution Will Not Be Televised #13 Protest Series will be exhibited in the Contemporary Art of Quilting at the Ann Street Gallery (https://www.safe-harbors.org/ann-street-gallery/) March 7th – April 18th.

 

 

January 20, 2020 In Art, Textile Art

The art of batik

 

Using a medium you don’t usually use is always good practice and if you are ever travelling in Malaysia it is the ideal place to do some batik. It is available in many places but very few allow you to do the pouring of the wax which can be a lot harder than painting on the silk or cotton. For those visiting Kuala Lumpur it’s well worth a visit it Jaki Batek. You can choose a design, or do your own, then trace the outline with wax and spend a happy few hours painting.

www.jadibatek.com

January 13, 2020 In Art, Textile Art

Laura Thomas

Laura Thomas, photographed by Mohamed Hassan

 

Laura Thomas has an impressive number of commissions. We asked her advice for other artists interested in being commissioned.

With all the public art commissions I’ve undertaken, I’ve had to apply for them and then when shortlisted, attend an interview to present my proposal in person. It’s essential to put yourself in the shoes of the commissioning organization. What are they looking for? It’s your job to try and figure this out and answer their needs. Analyse the brief so that you understand it inside out back to front. If the brief is sparsely written, then you need to dig deep and find out more before you make your proposal. Do a site visit, understand the practicalities, speak to the project manager and make sure you fully grasp who the end user is. Ensure that your proposal is realistic, coherent, practical and inspiring. You also need to make sure that you as a person inspires confidence. Will you be a pleasure to work with? Can you manage a big budget? Are your costings realistic? Can you lead community engagement activities that so often are a part of public art projects? Think about what the commissioning organsiation needs and wants from the artwork, and make sure you answer it in your proposal.

To find out more about Laura’s beautiful art read her profile here

December 2, 2019 In Art, Textile Art

Fine Cell Work – designs behind bars

Fine Cell Work: Christmas decorations, Ethiopian Hats Cushions and Emma Thompson Shakespeare quote embroidered cushion.

 

There is no doubt that embroidery can be therapeutic and the gratification that comes from hours of sewing is quietly rewarding. Embroidery and prisons don’t seem an obvious paring, but when Fine Cell Work brought the two together the match is nothing short of genius. 

Fine Cell Work trains prisoners in needlework and pays them for their work. Not only can people learn a new skill and benefit from this mindful activity, but it can also foster self-esteem.  Fine Cell Work is involved with thirty prisons throughout England and Wales and works with over 600 prisoners annually. Since it became a registered charity in 1997 there have been successful collaborations with numerous artists and designers ranging from Stella McCartney to AA Gill. I was curious about who designs the products, and how they manage to attract such a diverse list of people. I spoke to Katie Steingold the Events and Communications Manager to find out more. 

 

How did Fine Cell Work start and when did it gain the momentum it has today?

Our Founder, Lady Anne Tree, was a prison visitor in the 60s and played a pivotal role in lobbying the government to allow prisoners to be paid for the work they carried out in prison. Fine Cell Work was not registered as a charity until the law changed, so we officially got off the ground in 1997. Paying prisoners for their work is core to our mission.  

 

I know a lot of men do it but is it popular with women prisoners too?

The make-up of our work force is approximately 94% men, which is reflective of the prison population. One of the first questions we often get asked is whether men do this work “as well”, with the implication being that it is predominantly women. Historically though, men have always stitched – it was a popular pastime in the military, many of the big fashion houses were founded by men – providing you can put a thread through a needle and apply yourself to the craft, stitching knows no boundaries.

 

Which designers have you collaborated with? 

We have been incredibly lucky with our design collaborations – Lady Anne was the daughter-in-law of Nancy Lancaster who founded Colefax and Fowler, so from the very beginning we have fortunate to have connections with prestigious designers and artists. Our collaborations include; Pentreath & Hall, Melissa Wyndham, Kit Kemp, Blithfield and Co., Nicky Haslam ,William Yeoward, Stella McCartney, Allegra Hicks, Daisy de Villeneuve, John Stefanidis, Emily Peacock. Ai Weiwei, Cath Kidston, Celia Birtwell, Karen Nicol, Cressida Bell, Margo Selby, Luna and Curious, AA Gill, Ashley Hicks, Hazel Townsend, Charlene Mullen.

 

AA Gill isn’t usually associated with the design world. How did that come about? 

In the early days of Fine Cell Work, our founder’s daughter set up an event for us whereby celebrities gave us a design to stitch and auction. We received designs from actor Ralph Fiennes, the then Home Secretary Jack Straw, Mick Jagger to name a few, and AA Gill was part of this. His design really resonated with us and we decided to make it a permanent part of our core stock items. AA Gill once commented on how much he appreciated the contrast between “hard men and soft furnishings” – we quote him on that a lot!

 

How do the collaborations work?

Our collaborations tend to be quite organic – often we meet designers/artists at events or through mutual connections and conversations develop from there. Sometimes designers are looking for us to produce something that they can then sell to their own customers, other times they want to design something to be included in our range and occasionally, a bit of both. 

Part of the challenge when introducing new designs to our workforce is ensuring we are meeting the therapeutic need as well as the commercial need. We produce kits for beginners, intermediate and advanced stitchers, and need to make sure that we have a range of designs and varied work which allows us to keep all of our stitchers busy.   

 

Can prisoners create their own designs?

Our core collection of products is selected by our design committee, supported by our production and sales teams – and this needs to remain the case in order to make our products commercially viable. However, there are some products which allow for more creativity – for example, our popular needlepoint geometric cushion gives stitchers the choice over how to arrange colours and patterns, and our house tea cosies allow complete free reign. We also sometimes have one-off projects which give our stitchers creative license within a set brief, such as Tracy Chevalier’s Sleep Quilt commission, or a project we did with SSAFA to commemorate the centenary of WW1. 

 

How long does a Christmas Decoration take to complete? 

Our Christmas Decorations take an average of 20 hours to complete. 

 

How long does the average cushion take to complete?  

An average cushion has 40,000 stitches and can take 120-150 hours to stitch, although some can take much longer.

 

 What is next for Fine Cell Work? Are there any exciting collaborations coming up?   

We have a really exciting project which we are about to announce, involving collaborations with eight high profile artists which will be exhibited at Sotheby’s next Spring. Unfortunately, we’re not allowed to say too much about it just yet, but keep your eyes peeled for that one! 

We are also working on new designs with Pentreath & Hall and Studio Ashby, developing a new travel range and working on an exclusive collaboration with the William Morris Society which we can’t wait for. 

November 26, 2019 In Art, Textile Art

Crafting Artistry Exhibition

Captions, clockwise from top: Tai Lue tapestry weaving from Thailand; Batik Cirebon from West Java; Woven bracelets from Malaysia; Woven textiles from West Timor, Infinity, batik by Samsudin Abu Bakar.

 

One amazing thing about living in Malaysia is being constantly surrounded by colour. The vibrant hues of people’s clothing, their homes, market stalls and the flora and fauna is everywhere. However, it wasn’t until I visited the exhibition Crafting Artistry, A Journey Along The Maritime Silk and Spice Road, that I realised how much colour is a part of the culture and everyday life. This exhibition held at the Petronas Gallery in Kuala Lumpur features textiles from six Asian countries – China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. It links the heritage of each country and what artists are doing today. Covering various techniques it includes batik, weaving, embroidery and basket weaving so there is something for every enthusiast of textile art.

 

Crafting Artistry, A Journey Along The Maritime Silk and Spice Road, is exhibiting at Galeri Petronas, Kuala Lumpur until December 29th.