Lockdown threw up unique challenges for everyone, for better or worse it was a completely new experience and one that will stay with us as a global community, a shared global experience. My Lockdown was dominated by my curiosity and exploration of my locality during our Hour of Daily Exercise and the translation of this into artworks created for my first year of University. The first year which was half on campus, half at home.
Given that I have a lot of textiles and the tools to work in different textile methods, my work took a turn in this direction working from home. Thinking about documentation of time/experiences/ideas/collections I have been playing about with the presentation of this through collage and patchwork, and with a personal interest in sleep (suffering from chronic lifelong insomnia) this led me to consider quilts/blankets. I have never made any quilts since it is usually very meticulous and perfect - not something I enjoy doing when I am letting loose creatively - however, I am trying to investigate quilt making in a more free and expressive way. Starting with a quilt based on loose paintings of potsherds found in the local Brook during Lockdown, dying the fabric with clay from the river bed, I want to move to a community linked quilt.
I have made a Call for Fabric, any textiles attractive or ugly, old or new, large or small to create a quilt for the Lovely little community on Our Road. I have no idea whether I will receive enough donations to make a large or a small quilt, or many quilts! I am hoping to hear stories of why these textiles might have a special link to Lockdown, perhaps the stories might be more important than the quilt.
I have one donation to begin with...here’s hoping for more! Exciting!
