Community Art Projects…
Some of my best creative moments have involved community art projects. I have been inordinately proud of my participation in local events; here is a sample of those moments.
The REMA Festival of Angels: Love is Louder
In December 2017 I crafted a papier mache sculpture of a Northern angel. The sculpture was initially completed in recycled vintage papers, comics and glues, with vintage material arms hand stitched with tattoos. My angel was then dressed in delicate reclaimed vintage chiffon and cotton voile with a hand crafted lace headscarf. Her wings were designed from rare early colour paper comics. I named my angel “Pauline”, for my Nan. The sculpture was then accompanied by writing and poetry about the inspiration for the creation in black paper with gold lettering.
My angel was created on 7 December 2017, and became part of the REMA Festival of Angels “Love is Louder” art exhibition hosted at All Saints Church in Rotherham beginning on the evening of 14 December 2017. At the closure of the Festival, the angels were moved to Clifton Park Museum in Rotherham for a year. The angel was then gifted to my Nan for her personal use and display.
“I've been part of a community group with The Button Tin making angels for the REMA Festival of Angels 2017 art exhibition at Rotherham Minster Church. The Festival is 6-8pm on Thursday 14 December, and my angel "Pauline" will be on display with the rest of the collection!” (The Fairfax Curator, 7 December 2017)
“My angel "Pauline" with The Button Tin's collection at the Love is Louder art exhibition for the REMA Festival of Angels.” (The Fairfax Curator, 14 December 2017)
Same Sea, Different Boat
In March 2022 I sketched, printed and crafted my one and only collagraph for the Same Sea, Different Boat covid art project initiated by a group of four artists. I met one of these artists, Sue Brown, at Hope & Elvis on the Welbeck Estate, where I spent a great deal of time for relaxation purposes over many years. This is still a great spot to visit and learn new skills, visit the garden centre, or just to buy some Apple Sourdough Bread and Stichelton Blue Cheese.
My aim was to create a very simple narrative from the point of view of a pet dog on a soul-destroyingly sunny day during Covid. The collagraph was created using a simple pen sketch, with the details peeled off a piece of card and posted in to the project, so the section could be added to a collective quilt. The quilt was then hung in a gallery and spent several years in exhibition. 500 crafters and artists collaborated to provide the required number of squares of covid-related images to create an entire quilt.
The Same Sea, Different Boat quilt is now usually housed at Nature in Arts in Gloucester. It does occasionally travel to other locations on exhibition. To view, check the itinerary on the Nature in Arts website.
“First ever collagraph plate created! This was drawn and made for the Same Sea, Different Boat covid art project led by the printmaker and artist Sue Brown, see the link for more info or to take part and have some fun!” (The Fairfax Curator, 2022)