CRAFTED – An exhibition of Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen took place at the Willis Museum in Basingstoke from 13 May – 17 July 2022
The exhibition brought together twenty-two artists from The Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen to celebrate some of the highest quality of craft being produced in the region.
The guild members drew on their specialist skills to express their ideas of beauty in wood, metal, textiles and ceramics.
I felt really privileged to be part of such a talented group of makers. The exhibition was beautifully curated by Tara McKinney Marinus from the Hampshire Cultural Trust. I so enjoyed the conversations I had during the Meet the Maker event, with such positive feedback from all those who visited. A heartfelt thank you to all those who made it happen.
The exhibition provided the perfect opportunity to create new work in the form of textile art hangings and has begun an exciting journey of exploration.
I have been working on 5 pieces simultaneously, of which 2 were completed for the CRAFTED exhibition. However, this is very much an ongoing process and I hope the work will evolve and develop over time, shifting to take on new influences and newly acquired technical knowledge and skills, ready to exhibit at future events.
The inspiration for these pieces, like so much of my work, has been the landscape, specifically Scotland in this case. Looking at the geology, but also the human traces within the landscape. The marks left by both nature and man forming their own timelines.
I have been a member of the Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen for almost 3 years now and have learnt so much from the other makers, whose collective breadth of knowledge and skill is phenomenal.
Being part of a supportive, creative community where you can share ideas, information and support is such a pleasure. As artists we often work in isolation, so feeling connected to a wider community is very important. I am by nature more of an insular person and I value my own creative space in which to reflect, explore and develop my work. However, I also welcome the interaction with others. It lifts, stimulates and enlightens, bringing joy, connection and honesty, sometimes challenging perceptions and views and making us look with fresh eyes and a new perspective. This can be of huge value when considering our work and a broader world context.
See more at hampshireculture.org.uk