Artist statement: My Mother's Work - Unseen

My Mother's Work - Unseen


This collection of 64 jam jar covers refers to the quantity of jam made by my Mother each year, for the 42 years of her marriage.  Utensils that are used to make jam have been hand drawn, then sections of these drawings have been machine embroidered on jam covers.

Every year, my Mother would pick raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and blackberries, then wash the fruit and make the jam.  She always commented that jam making took place at the hottest time of year and made her legs ache.  The jam would be consumed, and the high quality produce would disappear.

Only the jam covers remain to give memory to her labour.

Embroidered jam covers, prior to being staged

Final notes for the sketchbook

My Mother's Work - Supportive

How the Concept fits the object:  A lining to a garment supports and improves the experience of wearing it and extends it's life, similar to the way in which women's work supports enhances and improves the experience of living to those around her.

How the work evolved: originally this concept was to be applied to upholstery for a rocking chair or settee, to play on how women's work cushions and supports against life's hardships.  However, I discovered I did not have the skills to hand stitch the quilting on the detachable cushions to my chair, and did not have the furniture renovation skills to strip a wooden ercol settee.  However, I did have a 1960s original coat belonging to my Mother, and the concept was tweaked to support and enhance, rather than support and cushion.

Skills developed:  Pattern cutting - turned coat inside out and measured all dimensions of lining.  1960s patterns are cut with more shaping than modern coat patterns!

Difficulties overcome:  I was reluctant to give up on the idea to work on larger scale items, but concluded my skills were not up to the image I had in my mind's eye.

Key artistic influences:  Georgio Morandi - drawing style.  Stephen Cohen, A seat for the rich on the lap of the poor (chair upholstered with fabric where the imagery comments on the object).

Staging takes forever

I went to uni on Monday intending to practice staging 3 of my pieces.  Famous last words!  I managed to stage one, and concluded that I am not a good maker!

I was staging my lined coat.  First I discovered the magnet hooks I had purchased, were not the ones I had ordered.  I had ordered 10 3kg magnets and the company supplied 20 x 1.5 kg magnets.  The coat is considerably heavier than I anticipated, and it took 6 magnets to be strong enough to support it from the ceiling.  Also, I noticed that I had a small stain beside the embroidered numbers, probably from the soluble canvas I used to stitch the cross stitch accurately.  And despite carefully creating an accurate pattern before cutting the fabric, the lining hem does not sit right.  More careful stitching required!  Also I had the coat staged far too high, so next time I hang it, the fishing line needs to be a lot longer, so it is positioned closer to eye level.  All this experimentation took all day!

Debates about Pricing

Everything is comparative.  Students at uni complain bitterly about he cost of digital printing at UH.
Fabric for the digital printer is priced at 1.8 x cost price from the wholesalers, and every print job has to have a half metre wind-on cost.  My fabrics vary between £7.70 for poplin to £30 for hemp ramie, or £36 for silk satin, per metre.  Add to this the cost of the digital inks, for which I have had to pay between 48p - £2.56 per metre.  Students have to steam and wash the fabrics themselves, and iron them.

Then I looked at the University of East London Fabpad website.  This is a business run by students at UEL as a commercial print bureau.  Their prices are similar to UH for fabrics, but have a £30 per metre print cost (!), plus 20%VAT if you are not a UEL student!!!  Fabpad steam, washes and irons the fabric for the customer.   Fabpad lists mostly high end fabrics for customers to select from.   But then, if you were paying £30 per metre to print it, you would probably feel spending £7.70 for poplin to be unjustifiable, and be more likely to target high end fabrics.

Pricing polocies then state you add in your design costs, and double the whole amount to calculate the final costs.

When Lucy asked me how much I would sell my red poplin for, I said about £50 per metre, thinking this was a price at the high end of "reasonable".  However this is inadequate once you enter the commercial digital print world.  £50 per metre would be cost price without design costs or profit.  Hmm!  Need to rework the costings.

However, today I had a lovely day making my dress for our Private View.  I had bought a 1950s original dress pattern, in a size 16.   Oh dear, oh dear!  British women have changed shape since the 1950s!  I had to adapt the bodice - another 6" on the waist (yes, really), and another 3" in depth from shoulder to waist.  I added 1.5" at the armhole, and another 1.5" at midrib level.  So far I have made the bodice, attacheded the skirt and faced the neckline.  I tried on the dress, and I was delighted that my considerable alterations had worked, and the pattern fitted!  Tomorrow I need to insert the zip, sleeves and hem.

Policy and Politics

I have struggled with one of my tutors stating my work is very political.  I have never seen it this way, merely that my work is about recognising the work of under-valued and under-recognised groups.

However I had a conversation with Val Inns at uni yesterday, which gave me a different insight.  I have spent a lot of time working out how to apply various policies at work, particularly equality policies.  Provided I agree with a particular policy (!), I put a lot of thought into how behaviour (mine and others') demonstrates compliance or otherwise with a policy.  Val made the point that this is what politics is all about!  I had never thought of this before. I had viewed Party Politics with considerable disdain, because of all the posturing and weasel words spouted by elected politicians and party leaders.  As policy defines what is to be achieved and strategy defines how it is to be executed, I have a lot of experience in defining and applying strategy.  So given I am clear about what the purpose of my work is, and the reasoning behind it, my work must be political.  Perhaps I interpreted my tutor's statement as saying he took a different political stance to me!

Yesterday I printed some linen fabric as a repeat pattern.  I had all my hand drawn images, and Lisa thought it would make a lovely apron.  So we printed a metre.  It came out very well, although not to my taste.  I think the beige ground fabric makes it look like a vintage fabric, and I am not aiming to create a product for that market.  I liked the bright red cotton poplin repeat print that I made, as it is more contemporary retro, and I am happy to target that market.

Repeat print fabric after steaming

Close up of the pastry cutters

And my favourite jug

My favourite drawing of my Mother's worn wooden spoon.

One pattern repeat of the steamed fabric

Response to Progress Review Form

Knowledge and Understanding

I have developed a broad knowledge and understanding of the art textile field by research at V&A (Embroidery and Tapestry class), Fashion & Textile Museum (Artist Textiles exhibition and others), and Warners Textile Archive.   I have also investigated into the portrayal of women in art in the last century at National Portrait Gallery, Tate Gallery, British Library and other art establishments.

I have found the integration of concept into the finished object to be difficult, particularly to achieve the quality of finish across a wide range of making techniques. Some potential applications of my ideas have been conceptualised but not worked, due to my lack of practical skills to create the object that links with the concept. I have enjoyed the thinking that "My Mother's Work" has engendered and have discovered that my thinking and reasoning skills are stronger than my making and  finishing skills.

The integration of the intention to the object has a major impact on my professional practice in the contemporary arts arena.  As "My Mother's Work" has a strong link to equality policies relating to gender, age and ethnicity, a key market for my ideas is any exhibiting organisation that receives funding  from Government and is required to demonstrate how they target and celebrate various under-represented groups.  Additionally for my degree show, my concept has been applied to art objects, but could be developed for commercial repeat pattern fabric (fashion and upholstery).  I have used "My Mother's Work" imagery for professional promotion by creating fabric to wear at the Private View and New Designers exhibition to associate me with my artistic product.

Skills, Attributes and Conceptual Skills

I have linked the under-recognised skills of women, with a personal interpretation of a commonly held experience, and applied this concept to a variety of domestic objects that resonate with the subject.

I have thought extensively and broadly about the traditional role of women, and sought to identify how they are represented in the fine art and contemporary applied art fields.  I have looked at fine art work, read widely, visited exhibitions, museums and galleries, to inform my view, then applied my findings to my artwork and a selection of pertinent objects.

While taking ownership of my work, I have found it ponderously slow to analyse what goes well/badly, but have maintained motivation, and sought feedback.  It was easy to identify the concept; narrow the theme to women, their under-valued skills and contributions and my Mother's kitchen implements.  I found it difficult to identify how to portray the theme; to narrow down to one artistic style, (creating form by cross hatching), and to have the confidence to run with creating artworks that recognised and celebrated the skills of women.

Practical Skills

I have experimented with emerging media (digital textile print, Photoshop) and traditional techniques (hand and machine embroidery, knit, dressmaking), and to link tradition and innovation with a concept.

Development and refinement of making has been demonstrated by the selecting of different fabrics and edges (jam covers); innovative use of non-standard, uncoated fabric on the digital printer (roller towels); and creating an appropriate shape and stripes via the use of photoshop (tea towels), each of which were combined with a hand intervention.  Less experimentation has been implemented when a classical object was desired (coat lining) or where high skill levels were already possessed (knit), as a contemporary message was embedded within the traditional technique.

Transferable Skills

I have worked steadily and persistently to the deadlines.  I made best use of time by changing between projects when conceptual or creative obstacles impeded progress, and blending research visits with intense periods of making.

I actively seek out new information and experiences and constantly question and listen to people who are different to me.  This enriches my life, by demonstrating there are many right answers, and many right ways of expressing a concept.  I have constantly questioned what goes well/badly at every stage of the making process.  I conclude that my thinking is more refined than my making, although I have discovered the impact of the parasympathetic nervous system when handling fabrics considerably aids my ability to reflect and then draw conclusions.  Once I have completed my analysis I am able to argue my case articulately and sum up with one pithy statement.  I have shared my analysis and feedback skills with the student group.

I am a confident communicator using formal presentations, informal seminars, and casual conversations.  I can write in a manner appropriate for the audience, using correct grammar and punctuation.  I have delivered presentations to business audiences, student seminar groups and the Tapestry and Embroidery class at the V&A and the Women's Interfaith Network.  I contribute to other student's work by considering and giving feedback during seminars.  I draw a lot, both in classes and at exhibitions to embed my observations into memories.

I have used information from journals and articles on Studynet, books, museums, exhibitions and galleries.  I am constantly curious and enjoy speculative visits and outings to seek out people whose experiences have been different to mine.  I listen to a lot of people talking knowledgeably about their subject, via lectures (Tate, National Portrait Gallery, V&A) and at exhibitions (Spirit of Womanhood exhibition; Knit & Stitch).

I have been persistent in the pursuit of  my studies.  I have built an extensive network of contacts by attending various events.   I always talk to the organisers and tutors, to express appreciation of their efforts, and ensure management know of their staffs' successes!

Wrapping up things for the Professional Portfolio

2 year Personal Development Plan

June -October 2014. Travelling in USA.  Continue to consider under-valued and
                                   marginalised groups - Migrant workers; carers, lorry drivers .....

November 2014        Graduation

November 2014-       Sketchbook, art history and humanities classes at Missenden
August 2015.             Abbey, City Lit etc.  Continue with general artist research at
                                   museums and galleries

January 2015.             Start search for appropriate MA course.

September 2015-        Part-time MA
May 2017?


Marketing Plan

Current work fits demographic of middle aged and older women.  Exhibiting potential at Knit & Stitch, or Festival of Quilts.  Knit and Stitch exhibits at locations of Alexandra Palace, Harrogate and Dublin.  I would happy to attend any or all of them!  Festival of Quilts is at NEC, Birmingham.

The concept of "My Mother's Work" can be marketed to various Government funded exhibiting organisations, such as V&A, Horniman Museum, National Portrait Gallery.  All organisations receiving funding from Government are required to have an equality policy that states what action they take in order to represent and serve all parts of the community.  An exhibition receiving articles from the general population could be curated on the theme "My Mother's Work" which could be structured to positively portray women and apply the equality policy on the grounds of gender, age, ethnicity and faith.


Price List

My Mother's Work - Unseen ( Jam Covers).              £600
My Mother's Work - Unending ( Roller Towels).       £500
My Mother's Work - Unfinished (Knit).                      £400
My Mother's Work - Cyclical (Tea Towels).              £800
My Mother's Work - Supportive (1960s coat)             NFS

I don't expect to sell any of them but if the university wanted to buy them, this is what I would charge for them as works of art.  Additionally, if my work was selected to go to the Knit & Stitch, I would not be able to sell them in advance, so pricing them out of the market would not matter.  In my dreams!

More thought required.