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I like to take part in an exhibition, but this is the first time I take part in a virtual exhibition. ReConnect opens today and I am exhibiting two pieces.

The exhibition is organised by the International Feltmakers Association, of which I am a member. The exhibition coincides with the AGM of the organisation it was to have been held in France, but along with so many things has become virtual.

I am inspired by the title ReConect. It is so very appropriate to so many of us, who have spent much of the last year isolated from friends and family. Isolation wasn’t easy but reconnecting is also going to require relearning old ways and will take time and patience.

Sculpture

My sculpture piece uses Bluefaced Leicester, Masham, Welsh, Grey Shetland and Swaledale wools, all with such beautiful natural colours.

I made 15 different elements to represent different people, isolated in small groups. These pieces can be joined together in 100s of different ways , representing us reconnecting with friends and family

Disconnected

Reconnected

Wrap

My second piece is a large scarf or wrap.

In late 2019 I attended a great online course called “Ink on Cloth” with Fiona Duthie here I learned how to use Sumi ink to mark fabrics and felt. With this knowledge I knew Sumi Ink was a perfect way to talk about reconnecting in a piece of felt. I thought yellows were celebratory so I dyed silks and cottons with natural dyes to use in this piece and then I marked some of them with Sumi Ink. Below are the dyed and marked silks and cotton, along with the prefelt all ready for felting

The wrap is made in cheerful yellow colours representing a brighter reconnected future.  The words felted into the wraps represent my positive thoughts on the theme of ReConnect and include the following haiku. 

Time to smile

Reconnecting with old

Forgotten words

Along with the following

This is the perfect time to reconnect with nature. 

With these words incorporated the wrap reflects my personnel philosophy and moreover all the elements of the wrap, from the wool and silk to the dyes and the ink, are connected with nature.

In conclusion am proud of the work I made for this virtual exhibition and so excited that it has now been launched.

You can visit the exhibition here and there are lots of wonderful exhibits.

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