Hidden Stitches - Spike Island Workshop

Spike Island invited me to facilitate a workshop as part of the I Am Making Art series of public creative sessions for any age responding to the current exhibitions. 

Hidden Stitches was my response to the themes of hidden women's labour in the brilliant current exhibition Five Acts by Young In Hong.  A key concern and interest in my own practice as well, I invited attendees to create their own textile homages to the hidden and unacknowledged labour of women in their lives - whether that was themselves, a family member or friend, or a woman they had never met like a garment worker, farmer, health specialist or anyone else who invisibly shape our lives. 

Participants shared their inspiration for the textile pieces as a group, revealing some incredibly touching dedications to mothers, grandmothers and those unseen. These words were then hand appliquéd onto found quilts, patchwork and reused fabric scraps to create their artworks. 

This session was fully booked and I have had requests to run it again - if you are interested in attending a future workshop on this theme please email me via my contact page. 

ABOUT

Drawing on Spike Island’s current exhibition, Young In Hong: Five Acts, artist Ellie Shipman leads a workshop exploring themes of women’s labour through textile making processes. Attendees are invited to make their own quilt panels using applique and other embroidering techniques.

I AM MAKING ART

These regular activity sessions are led by artists and visual practitioners. Visitors of all ages and abilities can try out new techniques and approaches to making art, from drawing and painting to collage, sculpture and animation. All materials are provided.