Workshops
Written by Lynne on April 12, 2015
I have been and shall be teaching several workshops, as well as those I already run from my studio at home, in various parts of the country this year.
TULLIE HOUSE MUSEUM, CARLISLE. Sat.14th. March
“Rag rugs: traditional and decorative hand hooking and prodding techniques”
WEST DEAN COLLEGE, nr. CHICHESTER SUSSEX. Fri.17th. – Sun.19th.April
Fri.17th. “Introduction to Needlefelting.”
Sat.18th./Sun.19th. “Rag rugs: traditional and decorative hand hooking and prodding techniques.”
PLAS TAN Y BWLCH, SNOWDONIA. Fri.18th. -20th.September
“Rag rugs: traditional and decorative hand hooking and prodding techniques.”
HIGHAM HALL, COCKERMOUTH, CUMBRIA. Wed.4th.-Fri.6th. November
“Rag rug creations: exploring colour and surface.”
(link to be added shortly.)
12th. April 2015
“Everyone Smiles in the Same Language.”
Written by Lynne on November 5, 2010
So many years and community textile projects further down the line, I feel that I have time and again witnessed the socially therapeutic, restorative and of course, creative benefits for many of the people participating. I never cease to marvel at how rag rugging as a medium, probably much like quilting, provides such a great foundation for peoples’ increasing openness and dialogue with each other.
So, in May 2011, I am going to be in Jerusalem running workshops with both Arab and Israeli patients, (children up to the age of 18,) their families, and clinic staff, to create (and hopefully complete!) a textile wallhanging, entitled “EVERYONE SMILES IN THE SAME LANGUAGE”, which will ultimately enhance the education room of the paediatric DVI Dental Clinic there.
Since this will be a large scale piece of work, I am, over the coming months, also going to be working on the piece, here in the U.K. and running a programme of workshops with a range of schools and community groups, with an appropriate interest and emphasis upon inter-faith focus, and the DVI’s aims.
As with a former large-scale project I ran, “MATS FOR THE MILLENNIUM”, numerous celebrities have been contacted, asking them for donations of cast-off clothing to incorporate into the work. In this case, as before, this aspect creates an exciting additional dimension to the recycling and documentation aspect of the project; but also, hopefully, very much serves to benefit the Clinic by raising its profile and increasing its ability for significant fundraising to continue its vital and unique work.
VIDEO: (you can play this in a full screen by pressing the little symbol (with 4 arrows), at the bottom right corner next to the word ‘vimeo’)
link to DVI clinic (back arrow to return to this blog page)
DVI Clinic Textile Project update
Written by Lynne on April 15, 2011
In March I have been happily working with pupils from Years 1 & 4 at North Cheshire Jewish Primary School, on design aspects, and the initial making of the first textile wallhanging for the Clinic in Jerusalem.
Since that time, several individuals, including family and friends, have been taught, and have participated in its creation, and continue to do so.
Themes and ideas for the work were aimed to ultimately provide exciting and appropriate visual imagery, as well as to tie in with aspects of the curriculum of both Key Stages.
Meanwhile, I am delighted to say that the plea to various celebrities for their “cast-offs”, has met with some success; and incorporated into the piece will be Joanna’s jeans, Mavis’s mittens, Maureen’s mohairs, and many more exciting fabrics and artefacts. The wonders of recycling! I have been truly touched by their generosity.
From the 2nd. week in May, we shall be in Jerusalem, and I shall be running workshops at the DVI Clinic, with patients, families, and clinic staff, to create a second collaborative textile wallhanging for the treatment room.
thanking Joanna Lumley for her ‘cast-offs’
“Rag Rug Creations”
Written by Lynne on December 21, 2013
I have recently authored “RAG RUG CREATIONS: AN EXPLORATION OF COLOUR AND SURFACE”, which was published by Bloomsbury in March 2014.
As well as featuring historical content, and the work of other selected makers, including Kaffe Fassett and Winifred Nicholson, it’s a project laden book, intended to appeal to both the experienced maker, and those who have not yet become addicts! Watch out, meanwhile, for Bloomsbury’s facebook and twitter pages over the next few months…..
Please click on the book’s front cover image above to order from Amazon. Thanks!
DVI Project Video
Written by Lynne on August 3, 2011.
Please click on the link below:
Everyone smiles in the same language- video link
2013…..almost done
Written by Lynne on December 22, 2013
This year has been a busy one, with the completion of a book, lots of talks for craft guilds and other organisations, and workshops a plenty too. It’s always great to meet and teach newcomers, and a real compliment when people come back for more. I have been experimenting recently with different construction methods for making 3 dimensional needlefelted forms, and this has been the focus of a few of my recent workshops.
Today is winter solstice, and suddenly I seem to have replaced making work, teaching, talking and writing about it, with a frenzy of Christmas cooking. I’ve been concocting my Christmas Day turkey accompaniments, like apple sauce, and Dutch style red cabbage with apples and raisins; and a massive quantity of Vietnamese beef in red wine with cinnamon and star anise, for a pre New Year’s Eve party with our lycra clad cycling gang of friends.
As always, I cook whilst listening to music. I love some of Astor Piazzolla’s tangos,-particularly a track called “Oblivion”, and Scarlatti’s Sonata in B minor K87 played on the piano by Ivo Pogorelich. Very ethereal.
I went to a wonderful lunchtime tango concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, last week. Stunning! What a pity it only went on for an hour- I could have listened all afternoon!
As well as seeing Grayson Perry’s tapestries at Manchester Art Gallery, (definitely worth a visit,) as every year at this time, I went to see the Dazzle exhibition, which is also there this year for the first time. I’m a big fan of Clare Hillerby’s jewellery, and heavily hinted to my husband what particularly lovely piece I coveted this year. And who knows…..it may just appear in my Christmas stocking!
This year in Jerusalem
Written by Lynne on June 14, 2011Setting up my rug frame, and working outside in the open air for the best part of 2 weeks is a joy for a girl from the North of England! It certainly also compensated for the early start at 8 o’clock every morning.
I have to say that I was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response from the patients, parents and staff at the DVI clinic, and have to admit to a certain amount of previous trepidation about the project.
The fact that a large area of the wall hanging was already visible clearly whet peoples’ appetites, and they seemed to be inspired by what could actually be created with old clothes.Of course children, particularly, responded very positively to the bright zingy colours and rich textures.
The project proved to be so much of an ice breaker, facilitating communication between families in the waiting area, which might definitely have not otherwise taken place.As hoped there were certainly occasions when arab worked alongside orthodox jew.
The project also provided a welcome distraction from both any anxiety prior to a child’s treatment, or their discomfort afterwards. And as is so often the case, it served as an agent in helping people talk about themselves, including myself!
Linguistically, I was very much thrown in at the deep end and had to try and access as much of the Hebrew that I thought that I had forgotten from 40 years ago! But for me, being able to enjoy conversation with people was a real joy.
The wall hanging has really brightened up an area of the very busy clinic, and is admired and commented on in a very positive way by all. Next year I plan to return to complete a further piece to brighten up another part of the treatment room