TinkeringTimes

Connecting Craft & Community

While you read this, I'll be at an extraordinary event in London. Connecting Craft and the Community is a two day workshop based at The Women's Library. 

Before I go on, I should say, if you've never been to the Women's Library, it is well worth a little trek off the beaten path to this hidden gem in the hustle and bustle of East London. They have a beautifully and poignantly curated exhibition and events programme; every time I've been I've seen something truly unique, compelling, always stunning, sometimes disturbing, and at times humorous. The current exhibition, which I look forward to soaking up is Hand Made Tales: Women and Domestic Craft "...focusing on the role domestic crafts play in many women’s experiences. The exhibition will allow visitors to explore and learn the stories of crafts and the women involved in them through personal tales and fun interactive projects." 

So... Connecting Craft and the Community is a project which aims to create a network of people interested in craft in all sorts of ways, but which has a particular emphasis on participation, community, and all that is wrapped up in what has emerged from what was a minority craft culture (of the DIY, subversive, counter culture ilk) but these days has become much more mainstream.

Post Craft

What is post craft? Where are we in time if craft is the past? You know, I have no idea, I really don't. But at last I can share my excitement about finding out. I've been bursting with excitement about this for weeks and now I can blurt it out to the world!

I will be chairing a panel discussion at this year's Future Everything festival eyeing up the future of craft in a DIY-hack-break-down-the-walls-of-the-institution type chat with some fellow craft / future / hack heads.

The conference organiser introduces the topic thus:

"In an increasingly post-digital world, there is a move towards a pre-industrial landscape. Eased by global connectivity, cottage industries are sprouting up everywhere. People are creating their own products, services, and art. They are rediscovering the satisfaction of creating a tangible product, the process of making, the lessons from making by hand."

Now I know much of that is true (though are we in a post-digital world already? heck where does the time go?) and it echoes much of what I discovered in my UK DIY craft research a few years ago. So I'm thrilled to have been asked to be part of the panel. (I suspect I'll come away ever more confused of course, shh don't tell anyone ok?)

*That picture up there, by the way, is from Datadecs, one of the projects of one of the other panel members, interaction designer Andy Huntington. Do have a look at his website, he does some very cool stuff turning data into beautiful and fun things 

Manchester Craft Hack event needs you

If you're reading this there's a chance you might be interested in craft, DIY culture, hacking and / or the city that is Manchester.

As it happens, there's an event happening on May 14th combining all of those things in the sumptuous and utterly wonderful setting of Victoria Baths. What's more, that event needs you.

Handmade is the name of the event which is orchestrated by the FutureEverything gang, as part of their annual festival of digital innovation. Be quick - submit your ideas by April 18th *here* 

If that is your cup of tea, and you're going to be in the area. I'd suggest you keep the afternoon of Friday 13th free too, can't say any more for now!

Carrying on the craft hack theme, though a little less digitally, I've spotted some great hacks lately, especially with pallets. The image above is StudioMama's pallet chandelier - pretty unexpected and yet incredibly subtle and beautiful. Other top pallet hacks I found below include...

Lost in Lace

I just can't wait to see the exhibition Lost in Lace, a partnership between Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and the Crafts Council. It won't open until October, then it runs through to February next year.

Birmingham's website says it will be "an ambitious exhibition featuring twenty international artists, designers and makers who will explore the relationship between textiles, specifically lace, and architecture through site-specific installations"

You'll see on the website it will be held in the museum's Gas Hall. For me that's as much the thrill as the craft content, it's an incredible airy, atmospheric hall that gives such a special feeling just walking through it. I know the combination of the exhibition and the space will be incredible.

Luckily I'm working with Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery for the next couple of years so there's every chance I'll be there when it's on.

Image: Moucharabieh + Jardin de lit, lit de jardin by Annie Bascoul 

Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity

If you haven't come across TED talks yet, do scout them out. Some of the most inspiring viewing you'll find on the web.

This one stood out for me as being relevant to makers / crafters / designers (even though it's a writer talking). It is around 20 minutes but stick with it, you'll find yourself being pulled into a story of wonder, and feeling verified towards the end, no matter what your creative process is, how much of a struggle it may be, and however successful (or not) you find your outputs, work, pieces, objects - whatever you want to call them.

Pattern in life sciences

A long time ago I shared my love of pattern in atomic or molecular structure in this post, and it appears crudely in these pieces. It's a theme I've been revisiting lately and I wanted to just note it down to keep reminding myself about it. 

Through working with organisations like Manchester Science Festival, Nowgen and the Manchester Beacon I've since had the delight of getting know a bit more about science researchers and some of the topics they are exploring. This insight has somehow made my interest more real, more tangible. Though I can't pretend to begin to understand what on earth it's all about. 

But I've started to see ways it can be made understandable, through work with artists, designers, writers and others. If they can do it - it can be done, maybe I can think about how some of the microscopic images could start influencing my textiles work in ways which is a little more authentic than the crude and entirely fictional atomic references. 

Images courtesy of University of Manchester Life Science research groups:  1. GFP-tagged cytokeratin expressed in a human tissue culture cell, 2. A human tissue culture cell labeled for the Golgi apparatus (green), microtubules (red) and the nucleus (blue), 3. Intact and burst algae cells (C. reinhardtii) showing accumulation and release of stained lipid bodies, 4. Microtubules in a leaf cell, 5. Mouse cortical progenitor cell differentiated in culture showing a transcription factor localised to the cytoplasm (red), 6. Growth cone of a cultured primary Drosophila neuron stained against actin (green) and tubulin (purple), 7. Latex beads: Adhesion of latex beads coated with Lewis X to the AGS gastric epithelial cell line, 8. Pylori: In situ adhesion of H. pylori to mucosal epithelial cells in a biopsy sample from the antrum region of human stomach, 9. Insulin expression in pancreatic islet, 10. Sensory neuron growth cone (green= beta III tubulin, red=actin) (Natalie Gardiner), 11. Drosophila photoreceptors expressing channel opsin-2 labelled with Alexa fluor 555 (Helena Baines), 12.cell1

Fashion Illustration

At college, I could not draw for the life of me. I developed a sort of stylised version of drawing I managed to just about get away with being on a fashion and textiles course, where pattern and artistic license were daily currency. Its a style of drawing I still use - I'd show you my sketchbook but you'd only laugh.

For hours we studied fashion illustrations: the variations on the human form and drape of fabric fashion designers had conjoured up - but even this, and the hours and hours of life drawing class could not improve my terrible drawing skills.

Imagine my delight to find a whole exhibition of these beautiful works of art about to open. Fashion illustrations from Galerie Bartsch & Chariau, showing at London's Design Museum. Featuring work of designers from the 1940s through to present day including Chanel, Dior, Comme des Garcons, Victor & Rolf and McQueen, to name a few...

I can never create illustrations even remotely in aspiration of these, but I can gape and dream in awe...

DRAWING FASHION
3 November - 6 March
Design Museum, London 

Image: Renee Gruau for Dior

ps - I'm also in admiration of the work of contemporary fashion illustrator Sandra Suy

Embroidered Digital Commons

 
Occasionally I receive invitations to show in exhibitions. Mostly I don't have time to produce the work but this was an invite I couldn't ignore...

"I have been approached by Dr Ele Carpenter (Lecturer,Dept of Art, Goldsmiths College) to coordinate an embroidery art work for an exhibtion she is organising which will be curated by artists anrdrea zapp and simon blackmoore, and be shown at the AND Festival in Manchester in October.

I need a team of creatives to embroider a series of words on to a patch. The size of the patch will be 25 x 25cm and I will provide you with the words. All the patches will get photographed to create slide show and then appear in a series of exhibitions".

I decided I could just about manage a 25cm square piece of embroidery. And I do love how the AND festival has been developing over the past couple of years so was really excited to think my little contribution could become part of it. 

Bluebell goes for Tea

 
As a little something different, and worthwhile, I'm packing up Bluebell here and sending her off to a new home.

She'll be winging it down to Jennifer's Make Lounge to join the *Blooming Great Tea Party*. On July 18th, in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care the Make Lounge will be hosting all manner of good stuff including a raffle with some amazing prizes. Bluebell will be one of them.

She'll be in good company, joined by, to name a few...

A Janome breast cancer care sewing machine
Acrylic scissor necklace by Mockinghorse
Lisa Stickley's Made at Home and Cath Kidtson's Sew books from Qaudrille
A batch of screen printed goodies from HeartZeena
A groovy clock from HunkyDoryHome
A private yoga class
A frankly adorable pinny from my lovely friends at HisforHome
A year's subscription to Sew Hip magazine
A limited edition handmade artist's book by Louloulovesbooks

Phew! And the list is still growing I do believe.
Do drop by if you're in or near London. A fiver for a cuppa, cake and good times is practically nothing, especially given the cause.

Though if you can't make it do feel free to hold your own Blooming Great Tea Party, anytime from June 12th to July 12th. More details *here*    

Lucienne, a shining star

How I missed this news I have no idea. But one of my design icons, and indeed icons in general, Lucienne Day, passed away a few days ago. She had a huge influence on so many things in my life and would have been part of a PhD I was thinking of beginning (before toddler boy came along and stopped any such plans in their tracks...)

Just last week I was reading again about her work in the Festival of Britain, and recently saw her work in MOSI's electricity gallery, and in the Wellcome Collection's From Atoms to Patterns exhibition a couple of years ago.

Read an obituary of Lucienne Day in The Guardian.
An amazing, inspiring woman who thankfully has left an incredible legacy.

Winter

For two weeks it has been snowy here. It started gently, it was beautiful, we built a little snowman and laughed about being off work. It began to thaw. It was manageable. For most of the people most of the time.

This week on Tuesday we woke up to 7” snow, and it carried on all day. Around the area are a new batch of residents, about 8 feet tall with hats, scarves and carrot noses grew in parks and fields overnight. People played together, smiled at neighbours and children playing, and took delight in wearing shiny, spotty, flowery wellies bought for their beauty but never really expecting to be needed.

Four days later it’s still here, getting colder and colder. Tuesday night fell to –10 and the days were cold. People began to check on their neighbours, make sure everyone had food and warmth. Our hot water froze up. Last night fell to –17 and our cold water froze. It has been –8 in the daytime. It shows no sign of thawing.

It reminded us of people who have to suffer this kind of cold, worry and disruption all the time every day. And we felt grateful for being generally fine, and a little bit silly for worrying. If you’re in the snow or cold temporarily or all year round, I hope you’re ok and all looking after each other.

A new adventure

A lovely something came my way. A perfect and rare chance to really combine all the things I love. Children, the internet / social media, craft, design, art, learning, museums and galleries... you get the gist.

What is this magical thing? I will be writing three times a week from now on for AOL's parenting blog www.parentdish.co.uk

Sounds great! And it sounds easy but I know it won't be - eventually I fear inspiration may run dry, so if you have any suggestions of short pieces I could create related in any way to the subjects listed above, please do pipe up with suggestions, links, ideas, press releases, products, events, research reports and other interesting bits and bobs.

The image, by the way, was one I found whilst trawling for something suitable. It reminds me of all the mixed emotions I had when pregnant, setting up my little one's room. The excitement and fear in equal amounts that has never gone away. (Although the cot has recently made way for a big boy's bed).