Between the Lines 

an exhibition curated by Melanie Egan at Harbourfront Arts Centre Toronto  21st September _ 29th December

You just never know where a line may lead. 

It may be a path into a world real or imagined, or a thread that twists and turns without a foreseeable end. A line can mark the passage of time and the beating of our heart. We cling to life-lines in times of distress. They can anchor us or allow a kite to soar. Lines can create order or confusion, guide you on the straight-and-narrow or direct you nowhere. 

A line is one of the most basic components of art and design practice and these eight artists cleverly lead you on.

– Melanie EganHead, Craft, Harbourfront Centre

An Aran sweater purchased on Ebay is deconstructed and is transformed into a baby blanket. The blanket references the passing down of garments, tradition and craft. Often the line of tradition and skill is broken. Down the Line blanket allows for both historical and contemporary to exist in a contemporary functional textile.

   

I am currently working on a project Tir mo Ruin and have spent the last two weeks on the Isle of Lewis. 

Sexy Peat/Tir mo Rùin is a project that will create a body of contemporary visual art in response to the rich ecology and heritage of the Lewis Peatlands in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. The Lewis Peatlands, and their blanket bog and moorlands, form a remarkable landscape both visually and environmentally. Beyond their initially austere or barren appearance the peatlands reveal an abundance of colour, texture and life forms in constant interaction with dynamic weather systems. These features have inspired the people who have lived with the moor for generations. This project will investigate and celebrate that land, those people and their heritage.

Another important reason for carrying out this project is to highlight the significant and largely unrecognised role that peatlands play in global climate regulation. As carbon sinks, they are similar in importance to tropical rainforests, and yet they too are being damaged and destroyed at an unprecedented rate.

Sexy Peat will make a body of contemporary visual art that raises the profile of peatlands and their environmental value, unearths their material complexity and celebrates the continuing interweaving of their human and biological realms.  

You can follow the project blog here   and via Capefarewell Seachange site here

Between the Line 

I am beginning to work on a piece for 'Between the line' an exhibition of textiles curated by Melanie Egan at Harbourfront Centre Toronto. ( 21 September - 29th December )

Developing ideas explored in Aran 0.5 (repurposing a traditional aran knit jumper) purchased on Ebay), I hope to develop the theme of Between the Line  in exploring ideas around Lines' of heritage and physical lines in the creation of stitch in knit. 

a line = a number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turns at or for something; queue 

down the line = in the future 

a. Ancestry or lineage.

b. A series of persons, especially from one family, who succeed each other: a line of monarchs; comes from a long line of bankers.

c. A strain, as of livestock or plants, developed and maintained by selective breeding.

Spincycleskye 

I have been working on Spincycle Skye project recently with Atlas Arts  on Skye a multi-disciplinary project looking at visual culture, performance, music and crafts, In collaboration with Atlas Arts I have been  exploring the theme of spin, revolution and all things that revolve and turn. The project will encompass workshops, work-in-progress presentations, community events and exhibitions of new work across all art forms. You can follow the Spincycle-Skye tumblr blog.  The project has been funded by Creative Scotland 

On 23rd and 24th August SpincycleSkye will be linking with Skye Bike Festival to present part of the project. Nick Hand will be taking a SPIN around the Isle of Skye on his bike and will recording all things spin as he goes and David Littler  + Jason Singh of Sampler Culture Clash will perform the results of their own research into spin on skye.  

from source to land 
a spincycleskye project

In a project celebrating stock clubs, wool and all things spin, I am developing new work on Skye in collaboration with crofters, spinners and those who walk the land of Skye. In addition we will be launching 'the great wellie sock challenge' a community knit project in support of Row St Kilda to Skye  

Head phones for Irene.
Blow-in Bespoke exhibition at An Tobar . Isle of Mull

Irene is a glamorous grandmother. She likes to dance but her husband doesnt. She once met the Beatles in Belfast.  


Ruth Littles essay for Blow-in Bespoke can be found HERE

Mash up Mull + Lithuania . 
work in progress= wristwarmers knit in Ardalanish wool from Isle of Mull

'Wrist warmers were part of the national costume in Lithuania, where the climate is cold and even summers can be chilly. Both men and women wore wrist warmers year round, indoors and outdoors, because they add warmth without encumbering the hands.'

his + hers  labcoat +apron

apron for a dog loving ceramicist (with a messy studio) who lives with an evolutionary biologist (with a tidy lab ) .


an apron , labcoat, shopping bag, laptop sunvisor, headphones, customised shirt, messenger bag, hankerchief, curtains = items in Blow-in Bespoke exhibition at An Tobar, Tobermory Isle of Mull  5th July - 28 August . 

An embroidered  lab coat for an evolutionary biologist .

After an interesting visit to an evolutionary biologist lab on the Isle of Mull, I have been working on motifs relating to 'aristotles lantern' a beautiful and complex bone structure from a sea urchin.  I found this on a shelf surrounded by interesting pale and chalky bones and elephants teeth. White on white embroidery seemed a perfect choice for a very neat and tidy biologist!  

Aristotles Lantern

a complex arrangement of muscles and calcareous teeth and platesforming an eversible organ in most echinoids, functioning inmastication.

Origin: 

 so called from a reference by Aristotle to a sea urchin resembling inshape certain lanterns

The sun always shines at exam time and when a deadline is looming ! With a few weeks to go until Blow-in bespoke exhibition , its all systems go stitching and making . 
One of the participants of the exhibition is a lively Latvian who is always on the move , running, cycling or volunteering for the fire service here on Mull . When choosing materials to use , High vis and reflective seemed the obvious choice . Experimenting with Latvian cross stitch motifs, I have been trying out a bit of high vis embroidery Latvian style . 

I have been  computer bound all week preparing imagery for digital print for three of the pieces which will be in Blow-in bespoke exhibition at An Tobar, Tobermory Isle of Mull . Each print will be constructed into functional textile pieces, an apron, curtains and shopping bag. As a result of conversations had with each 'blow-in' ( a countryside ranger, a ceramicist and a former chip van owner ), ideas developed  and it is hoped each print will tell a story and also celebrate each individual. The work will be printed at Centre for Advanced Textiles .

blow-in bespoke  An Tobar Isle of Mull 5th July - 29th August 2013 

'During her time on the Isle of Mull Deirdre has been gathering real life stories from a range of 'blow in' (incomer) island residents. She has unearthed stories of past, present and place of origin from a range of people who have chosen to make the Isle of Mull their home.

Each work has been made specifically in exchange for personal stories given and designed in collaboration with individuals she has encountered during her residency at An Tobar. The works reflect the personality and life of those involved and reflect a diverse contemporary life on the Isle of Mull. The resulting works will be gifted to the participants on completion of the exhibition and become an ongoing part of Isle of Mull life '.  

The work will comprise of digital print, embroidery and knit and provide a series of functional textiles gifted to those who have shared their time and stories.   


Here are a few of the chosen 'blow ins'

A Latvian barmaid, marathon runner, cyclist and volunteer firefighter

A French marine engineer with a passion for food

A N. Irish glamorous grandmother with a love of dancing 

A Bangladeshi waiter who worked on a tea plantation in the hills

A Scottish  international recruitment consultant who is a self confessed techno geek
An English postman who loves vinyl and has a reputation as a snappy dresser
A Scottish ceramicist married to a South African evolutionary biologist


Isle of Mull 

Aran 0.5 in Design with Heart at St Ettienne Design Biennale 

Curated and designed by Sebastian Bergne. An exhibition of 70 objects that have been created with humanity, intelligence and passion to improve the way we live and interact, helping us to decide what really matters when choosing the things we live with.

An album of the exhibition can be found HERE  and Pinterest HERE

There is now a blog relating to my commission with Willis Newson at Saffron Gardens care home in Bristol which will document progress in the lead up to a community based napkin project. 

You can find the blog by clicking here here  

Aran 0.5 ( no.2) is off to St Etienne Design Bienalle  to be part of an exhibition curated by Sebastian Bergne called Designed with Heart.  Aran 0.5 is a repurposed Ebay aran jumper and plays with ideas of cultural authenticity. More information here barántúil

"We're hardly short of new products in the modern world. But how often do the products we rely on really matter to us? Why do we so often favour big brand names? Is it because we trust in their power to improve our lives or because we lack the knowledge and confidence to make bolder choices ?

This exhibition gets to the heart of why these choices are important by showcasing new products that have what Sebastian Bergne calls 'Design with Heart'. But visitors expecting to find a collection of exclusive design 'icons' may be in for a surprise. Exhibits range from tableware to trumpets and cheeseboards to circus equipment. Some are beautiful; a few may not even appear to have been designed at all.

The ingredients that these products have in common often transcend issues of style or aesthetics. Some are distinguished by the spirit of generosity or integrity in which they were created; others are products with the power to create a special sense of community; still more stand out because of their unique sense of innovation or their sheer beauty."

Here is a selection of the birds I am making for Saffron Gardens .  Birds have been chosen from Jamacia , Asia and Europe and link with nationalities of those in the care home. Each bird will be knitted and embroidered from a variety of different yarns and threads with particular attention paid to touch.