Sunday, June 19, 2011

Starting points for discovery

The threaded stories commission got me exploring ways to make letters out of stitch. No longer am I obsessed with getting text into my felt. Now I'm exploring stitching, crafting small letters in all sorts of ways crochet, needle felt, stitch and cut. I may bring this back to my felt in some way.
...not all Love ends on a blue note. Roisin Markham 2011
I was inspired to make this for a friend as I was finishing the commission she needs more love in her life and I thought these small crafted letters would help her find the texture of that in her life.
The 'L' was stitch into tuile and different threads stitched through. Then I cut the letter out leaving a ragged lacy effect around the edge. 
The 'O' is crocheted a letter too small from the commission originally part of the letter loss. Kind of fitting in some ways love and loss.
The 'V' is the netting from a basket of fruit. That plastic diamond open weave. Stitched tightly it has a fantastic texture, rich colour and fluffy quality. It does not look like stitched plastic.
The 'E' is a cut out of blue material and stitched with blue and purple.
The letters are pin mounted onto handmade paper with petals and leaves in it. There is a double depth of foam board so the pins are held in place.
It was presented in a box made of tracing paper which gave it an ethereal quality.
This seems to have captured the imagination of my children who have asked me how I did it and are working on their own versions. It is curious to see how this commission facilitated stitch and a conversation about thread even in our home.
I can see myself exploring this idea a bit more, playing with words and textures. The scale of the letters is about 2cm. Have you ever made letters? What kind, size?
I have a whole thing about 3D letters and teach typography to children including a 3D letter model. I suppose this just takes it in a new exploration. Think I'd like to try moss graffiti next...

Friday, June 10, 2011

'a stitch in time', threaded Stories Commission

The finished piece hangs in my studio this morning.
I've loved working with the community and staff around St.Brigid's Family Resource Centre their stories, memories, fragments, harsh realities and Waterford city's social history from 1984 - 2009.
woven stylised St. Brigids cross, Roisin Markham 2011
These threaded stories were collected from staff and the community that use St.Brigids it is positioned in front of a large montage of artefacts, documents, photographs, newsletters, newspaper articles, annual reports, strategic plans, etc. I ran workshops, interviews and there was an open invitation for people to send in their memories and stories. Staff were invited directly via a worksheet.
Their are two other pieces to go with this work. A poem and a future kit.
I'll be away working the weekend, it is nice to think of the work in my studio space settling over the weekend.
I'm presenting the threaded stories commission, 'a stitch in time' tonight at a Pecha Kucha in Glencree Peace and Reconciliation Centre at an event organised by Bluedrum.
Documentation of the work will be wrapped up and presented formally by the end of June.

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