Memories of my First Embroidery Exhibition
“Holidaying in Nuneaton”
The idea behind my exhibition came about after returning from a Baltic Cruise. I began to realise my sketches and photographs might not be the sights Scandanavians might consider tourist attractions. What would happen if I looked at my home town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire as if I were visiting it for the first time; like a tourist? “
“Personal Space”
I took my camera to capture my “holiday snaps”. As I sat eating my lunch and people watching, I saw a beautiful composition taking shape for my embroidery, “Personal Space”. It made me smile because from where I was sitting, it looked as if everyone on the bench was hovering. Also, I loved the equal spacing each stranger had left between themselves and the other person.
In making this Freestyle Machine embroidery, firstly, I covered white cotton fabric with grey and white fabric crayon for the tiled floor texture. A basic sketch, outlined the figures and bench in pencil and then the different tones were built up using white, black and a range of grey sewing threads. Any details, too small for the machine needle, were hand sewn.
“A Place to Reflect”
One thing I hadn’t anticipated, working alone in my garden studio, was how well local people would connect with these images. Although I’d gathered details as if on holiday, I’d forgotten that I knew this place so well. As I worked, changing bobbin and top thread colours, turning the fabric over and working on the back, I , like the viewers, remembered places, times and people from the past. The lady who bought, “A Place to Reflect”, told me the story of her family and why this particular park scene was so important to her.
“Lines of Communication”
I respond to patterns of vertical and horizontal lines, such as the repeated decorative iron support arches and brickwork in my embroidery, “Lines of Communication”. Situations that appeal to my sense of humour feature quite often. It amused me to think about the internet and railway lines helping us to connect with people far away but, like the two figures seated side by side, friendly small talk can be overlooked.
For the visitors who took the time to write their thoughts in the comments book, for family and friends who shared lovely memories the embroideries had reminded, I am very grateful. Being on holiday, for me, is a time to see what makes a place special and individual. Completing this exhibition and the following feedback helped me to see somewhere I had taken for granted in a new light.