Memories of " Stitched Up".

This time last year was a frantic time of preparing for the "Stitched Up" exhibition opening at "The Lock Up" Newcastle, NSW , Australia.  Here is a beautiful visual record of the memorable experience of being involved in this exhibition and honouring 193 previously forgotten girls from The Newcastle Industrial School 1867-1871. 

Thanks to co curator, Anne Kempton from Timeless Textiles Gallery,  Nancy Crawford for the narration of this video ( Nancy is one of the featured artists in this exhibition ) and Konrad Breuers for the video imagery. 

Thank also to all the artists who participated in this project and to Jane Ison, whose research made this project possible and real. 

Wilma Simmons ( Co-curator, Stitched Up) 

Locks and Keys for Tag Tuesday

For once, I have actually made tags for Tag Tuesday on Tuesday...  Wendy has  challenged us with this fortnight's theme  "Locks and Keys". For my first tag, I chose a  pre-cut "person" shape and simply pasted a page from a magazine which coincidentally was an advertisement for an event, called "Finders, Keepers" , I added some eyes behind some spectacles also cut from the same magazine, and a little lock embellishment to the ties. I originally was going to collage the shape with images of locks and keys but couldn't find enough but I thought the words were apt for this theme.

My second tag for this theme is also a cut out from the same magazine.... the background "mansion" and the key ring. While the metal ring looks metal in this photo it is paper, and the key is a plastic one, made to look a little antique. While both these tags are super simple and were very quick to make, I enjoyed the almost accidental creation of these tags.

Remember to go to the Tag Tuesday site to look at what other talented artists are creating or join in yourself and post your creation for the theme.

Baby Love for Tag Tuesday

At Tag Tuesday this last fortnight , Michele  chose the theme "Baby Love" with the idea of Mother's Day on the calendar.  Thank you Michele, great idea!
 I drew and collaged this tag on Mother's Day last Sunday. It is such a simple idea - I sketched and coloured the two faces, looking wistfully out of a window, or at least that is the impression I was aiming for. The pot plants are cutouts from a magazine, and I re-coloured them with pencils. Their dresses are also paper cutouts from the same magazine. I may have stretched the "baby" into "toddler" but hope this interpretation fills the brief.
I made a tag quite a few years ago for Tag Tuesday and some of the TT regulars will recognise it, but thought it was worth pulling it our of the box again... yes it's me as a baby.

Brooching the Subject Competition

"Remembering" - Wood, Clay and Cloth Sculpture : Wilma Simmons 

Thank you to all who voted in the  recent People's Choice - Brooching the Subject Competition  held at Timeless Textiles Gallery ( Newcastle NSW Australia) . Special thanks if you happened to vote for my entry, 'Remembering',  a wall brooch pictured above. The winner with the most votes online was a beautiful felted piece, another wall brooch, entitled "  Papevero (Italian Poppy) " by Becky Williams.

Papevero : Becky Williams from  https://timelesstextiles.com.au/past-exhibitions/

The competition in the gallery was judged by renowned Queensland artist, Sylvia Watt - Here is  a video of what Sylvia decided and  said about the brooches... 

1. Water Guardian : Alysn Midgelow-Marsden ; 2. Amelia : Judith Bee ; 3. We are Connected - Trudi Nisbet 

All of the brooches can be viewed on the Timeless Textiles Gallery website here. Congratulations to all the artists who entered - the exhibition was amazing! 

Stick Dolls in Sydney

This Sunday 6th May, I will be running a workshop, 'Making Messenger of the Peace Dolls' in conjunction with the "Stitched up in Sydney" exhibition. With the  exhibition being a huge success,  this workshop is nearly booked out! If you can't make the workshop,  I  will also  be hosting a curator's talk afterwards from 4-6pm.   

If you are interested in  securing one of the last spots in the workshop or coming to the curators talk, please give  The Embroiderers' Guild NSW a call and they can give you more information on requirements and pricing!
Phone 02 9743 2501 or 02 9743 2293

Workshop requirements:

Please bring: a stick ( approx. 25cm-30cm long. However, size is not important -we can always cut it down to size) , small quantities/strips of favourite fabric (this can be any type - new or old , cotton, polyester, wool or felt), threads in coordinating or contrasting colours, a small quantity of alfoil (about 1 metre). If you are unable to provide any of these, please let me know so I can bring extra for you to use.

Please also bring scissors, needles and sewing thread.

I will provide polymer clay, paint/ antiquing medium, glue, foil tape, first layer wrapping strips, moulds to create a face, oven for curing clay.