In the middle of the nineties I needed a change of direction, I did
not want to Book-keep for the rest of my life. I had always had a love
of fabrics and making my own clothes so I took the City and Guilds Fashion
parts 1 and 2. This led me into the precise art of pattern cutting which
I went on to teach at Northbrook College, Worthing. It did far more
for me though…. it introduced me to Textile Art. It was like a
whole new world opening up in front of me. I joined an experimental
embroidery class which I absolutely loved and have not looked back since.
I am still very precise because of the pattern cutting and dressmaking
background but I do love playing with all sorts of media to produce
pieces of work, although I do tend to lean towards fabric and thread
in finished pieces!!
My Book of Memories was inspired by some family history investigations
I was doing. My maternal grandmother, Ada, died in 1937 at the age of
29 leaving her husband David and a daughter of 6, my mother, Doreen.
We didn’t know much about her but my research told me that her
parents were called Michael and Elizabeth Kelly and she was born in
Southwark, London. It is quite hard to find anything else about her
as my mother is the only person alive who remembers her and was only
a child at the time so the memories are sketchy, she was also evacuated
to Worthing at the beginning of the war and never went back to Southwark
and her Dad, liveing with a foster family until she married and had
me and my sister.
Although the book was inspired by Ada it is to contain memories of other
female members of my family, my paternal grandmother for example, she
didn’t die till she was 90 and we all remember her very well indeed
so we have lots of memories.
When I told my own mother about the exhibition she was very interested
and didn’t find it at all morbid which is exactly how I feel,
death is part of our lives and we should celebrate it. I am a Christian
and know I am surrounded by God’s love in all I do and that he
will be there for me now and forever.
In making my book I have used hand painted fabrics, plain brown paper
(can you spot it!!) both with hand embroidery and I depicted the lilies
because not only are they synonymous with death they are very beautiful
and a flower I would love at my own funeral, although I only want 3
or 5 as I feel flowers are for the living.
’Consider the lilies and how they grow. They do not labour
or spin.
Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like
one of these.’
Luke 12 v 27.
