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We’ve had some great feedback on the installation we did with Shane Waltener at the Knittting and Stitching Show at Alexandra palace including this lovely email. Claire is running an interesting project called ‘Out There’, read the blog here http://ecooutthere.wordpress.com and here are her thoughts on the beneifts of Slow practice.
I just thought I’d email to say that I watched and loved the two video pieces made at Alexandra Palace about the Stitching Revolutions piece.
Your idea of ‘non-verbal conversations through making’ really struck me as I currently run a community arts project for adults who have experienced mental health distress. A group I have worked with for the last six months has been engaged with a natural dyeing project and have been using the yarns and recycled materials they have worked with to do some weaving.
I have been so struck by the way a slow organic process has had a positive effect on the well-being of the group. They have worked at a local community allotment growing the plants they have then used in the dye bath. Being able to use locally produced plants has given them a greater connection to the materials they have been using and a greater appreciation of the local environment. Almost all the original participants have stayed with the project (quite unusual in mental health work) and I am sure that the ‘slow’ nature of the project is largely the reason.
Thanks to everyone who took part in Shane Waltener’s installation ‘Stitching Revolutions – Stitching Circle #1′. Over the four days of the show the work, created by visitors to the exhibition, grew to fill the supporting frame. If you missed it you can see images of the work as it grew on flickr here and there are videos from Thursday, Friday and the final result on Sunday on You Tube (watch them below or link here).
Day one – Thursday
Day two – Friday
Day four – Sunday
One piece of work travelled through six machines at the same time. Sewers could alter the work as it travelled through their machine, adding material, changing shape or removing it as they wished. Participants had to work together to negotiate the pace of work. Over the four days the stitched fabric grew to make a canopy on the wooden structure overhead. The fabric was either charity shop rejects or donated by participants.
We learnt the merits of overlocking machines and many people tried one for the first time. The machines stood up well to four days of continued use and we had great support from Irene who came all the way from Husqvarna Viking in Finland to help us.
Shane has rolled up the work and taken it away to consider what to do with the results of the four days. A lot of peole asked about this so we’ll keep you posted with what happens to all your work next.
It was great to meet new people and old friends – Mr X Stitch, Cloth magazine, Amy Twigger-Holroyd, Sew Hip, Mrs Smith, Craft Guerilla.
Excellent article from Eleanor Flegg… « Making a Slow Revolution.
In case you missed it on the Making a Slow Revolution blog.
Eleanor Flegg recently wrote an article on The Slow Movement for Perspective magazine. Click the link to see the article.
Jerwood Contemporary Makers is at the Naughton Gallery, Belfast from Wednesday. It’s short notice but tomorrow exhibitors in Taking Time, David Gates and Dawn Youll will talking about their work.
The Naughton Gallery /Canada Room, Queens University Belfast | 6-7pm
Tuesday, 3 August | Free Admission | Advance booking required at info@craftni.org / 028 9032 3059
Reflecting on craft practice and the themes of the Slow Movement,
writer Eleanor Flegg talks to craft practitioners – Dawn Youll and David
Gates. Works by both David and Dawn are part of Taking Time and Jerwood
Makers exhibitions.
personal landscape; exploring the rituals of everyday life and their
significance. www.dawnyoull.co.uk>
experience of pieces. Predominately working on open-ended
interdisciplinary research, his practice focussed on concepts of
communication and ‘making’ www.davidgatesfurniture.co.uk>
� Eleanor Flegg is a doctoral researcher in contemporary crafthistory at the University of Ulster. She has been the design columnist
for the Irish Arts Review since 2003, interior design columnist for the
Sunday Times, 2005-2009 and editor of Room magazine, 2005-2007.
Event – In Conversation with Helen Carnac and Emma Daker | Craft Northern Ireland.
Part of August craft Month and the opening of Taking Time.
August Craft Month 2010 | Craft Northern Ireland.
Taking Time coincides with August Craft Month in Northern Ireland. Follow the link for exhibitions and events.
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The exhibition opens at Millemium Court Arts Centre on the 5th August.
Sue Lawty is showing her work ‘Calculus’ in Taking Time : Craft and the Slow Revolution.
This contemplative piece of work has lead to another commission to design the Spiritual Space for the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. The space will provide somewhere for people to ‘take time’ away from the bustle of the hospital.
Sue has also been awarded the final museumaker commission at the Killhope Lead Mine in the Northern Pennines.
Here’s a really interesting film of five contemporary ceramicists working with clay in it’s most basic form. Neil Brownsword is featured in the Taking Time exhibition.
MMU – Contemporary Film & Video – Marl Hole (2009).
This documentary film shows the ‘epic’ and primordal work of international ceramic artists. The film uses references to ‘epic’ cinema through the music and cinematography, with little dialogue.
Neil Brownsword (UK) Alexandre Englefriet (Holland), Pekka Paikkari (Finland) and Torbjorn Kvasbo (Norway) spent five days during August 2009 in a marl pit at Ibstock Brick Ltd. (the largest brick clay quarry in Europe).
The range of their artistic responses to this post-industrial landscape of North Staffordshire generated new ideas and meaning. The Film ‘MARL HOLE’ is the only surviving component of the work.
Slow Club – from 22 May 2010 | slow down london.
Slow Down London are starting a Slow Club. Here’s some info:
Are you in pursuit of a slower pace that allows you to enjoy and appreciate your life and this great city? We at Slow Down London have been trying out an experiment called the Slow Club. Our aim is to give practical tips that can be incorporated into your everyday life and playful experiences that can help you slow down and enjoy London.
We are starting a new four week course on Saturday 22nd May. The cost is £20 (£10 concessions) and you can register below.
Read on for some information about what will happen over the four weeks and how to sign up for the course. If you would like to know more you can also visit our Slow Club page to find blogs from people who took part in the first club. And here are some quotes from our initial slow clubbers:
‘I am more aware of different ways of slowing down. And I look at art in a whole new way!’‘I have remembered to appreciate what I have here and now.’
‘I have remembered to appreciate what I have here and now.’
‘This made me smile because it helped me see that usually I’m rushing around when I don’t really need to.’
‘I can’t draw at all but what I did notice was that I really took the time to look at what I was drawing which seemed to slow everything down and really brought me into the moment.’
‘Awareness is increased. I am more consciously taking ’slow routes’ even if only to Tesco. “Be aware of your speed” was an eyeopener.’
‘Enjoyable, enlightening, empowering.’
Taking Time makers Dawn Youll and Ken Eastman are among the makers repersented at Collect this year. If you would like to see more of their work, details of the event and how to book are below.
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/collect/
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