Handmade in Manchester : Arty Places #9 2012

Exhibition: Jennifer Collier

During a recent stay in Manchester (England), I visited some “arty places. I was pleasantly surprised to find a small exhibit of the amazing work of textile artist, Jennifer Collier in the Museum of Science and Industry. Jennifer, who worked at the museum for two years under the Setting Up Scheme run by the Arts Council England North West, describes her technique “I create innovative textiles from natural and found materials such as leaves, petals fruit and tea bags …. The main technique I have developed is the fusing of fruit between layers of organza. This can be done with apples, strawberries, figs, pears, kiwis and cherry tomatoes.”

Of course there were other really interesting and engaging displays at this museum, including having your photo taken and becoming part of the electronic installation.

Museum of Science and Industry

The Manchester Craft and Design Centre, in the Victorian market buildings, was such a vibrant creative place and its architecture of course was part of the charm. Each artist was housed in a working studio/shopfront - there was such a gentle energy about this place.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre

Here is a video which shows more of the work at the Manchester Craft and Design Centre ...

A visit to the People’s History Museum is not only a wonderful social history lesson and appreciation of the contribution of working men and women and their families, but it has an amazing collection of handmade and handpainted trade union and working associations' banners.

women's movement banner

close up of banner above

close up of embroidery on a children's association banner

The museum has now established a conservation studio, in an effort to preserve these colourful, banners . Formerly a hydraulic pumping station, the museum tell the story of the history of democracy in Britain and about ordinary people’s lives at home, work and leisure over the last 200 years. It was really interesting to learn more about the fight for the women’s voting rights, especially from an ordinary housewife's 's viewpoint. Hannah Mitchell’s kitchen is reproduced in the museum, with genuine pieces belonging to her.

In Hannah Mitchell's kitchen

She belonged to the Women’s Social and Political Union and was arrested on one of her protests in London, but her fine was paid promptly by her husband so she could return home to look after the family. Sustained by the belief in the cause for women, Hannah said “No cause can be won between dinner and tea and most of us who are married have to work with one hand tied behind us, so to speak”.

..... I feel very fortunate to live in times and in a country when creative activities are a choice not a chore and freedom of speech is a "given" ....

Bilby Infatuation

Wrapped wire and fabric bilby sculpture : Wilma Simmons 2016 Over the years I have been fascinated with the plight of the bilby and it has inspired quite a few of my cloth creations... With long pinkish-coloured ears and silky, blue-grey fur, the Bilby has become Australia’s version of the Easter Bunny. Unlike the rabbit, bilby numbers are falling rapidly. There were originally two species but the Greater Bilby is now commonly referred to simply as ‘the Bilby’ as the Lesser Bilby (Macrotis leucura) is thought to have become extinct in the early 1950s... Bilbies are nocturnal, emerging after dark to forage for food. Using their long snouts, they dig out bulbs, tubers, spiders, termites, witchetty grubs and fungi. They use their tongues to lick up grass seeds. Bilbies have poor sight and rely on good hearing and a keen sense of smell. To minimise threats from predators they’ll mostly stay within 250m of their burrows, but sometimes roam further afield depending on the food...

"Temari Or Not Temari?" Tutorial

Background Information: Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap. 2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...

Non-Committal Collage Anything Goes

Have you heard of non-committal collage? I hadn't until one of the other participants of the 100 Day Project started doing this each day and showing the results.... Here are Peggy's rules : 1. S elect 9 scraps of paper from collage box/stash 2. Make three different compositions using each scrap at least once. (some pieces can be used more than once) 3. Do not alter the scraps of paper in any way. 4.Do not use glue. 5.Take photo, disassemble and return scraps to box. I thought this would be a fun and quick exercise to do for Tag Tuesday's theme , Anything Goes... so here are my "non-committal collage" tags.... Did you spot the nine pieces? Would you like to suggest some titles? And I repeated the exercise before putting back the 9 scraps of paper, so these are different items. Hope you will try this exercise - it is lots of...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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