Patchwork Object

Items

• Patch by Lesley
  Three Generations: Patch 3 Method: Batik on cotton fabric 1 2 3 GRANDMOTHER MOTHER DAUGHTER Created by Eliana Longo Collins when aged 10 years old. My daughter’s art education in Italy and the UK had a very limited focus on developing a creative identity. The value and time given to creative subjects was low. The primary opportunities to develop a creative identity were outside of formal education. The exception was The Ark Montessori nursery school where all types of creativity were explored and supported. The main influences on developing a creative identity were: • Inspiration and learning from her grandmother and me. • Visiting historic and beautiful places, art exhibitions, and traveling to experience different countries and cultures. • Family trips with 3 generations of women involved camping and always creativity such as knotting, story sticks, felting, papercraft, stone and glass painting etc. The lighting of fires, telling stories, singing, playing games all added to encouraging creative expression. • Attending self/family-funded workshops and classes such as Art, Drama, Batik, Jewellery, stained glass etc. ensured the opportunity to develop a creative identity and creative skills essential in life. The above relied on having the money, transport and time to access them. • Developing computer skills for audio visual presentations, leading online and in person presentations using creative skills including drama, photography, film, music and social media. • Attending art exhibitions. Activism in movements for change such a Black Lives Matter. She has been a witness to the barriers women face in life and art and the negative effects of ‘othering’ people but is starting to see slow changes to the visibility of women and ‘others’ in the arts and in the recognition of textiles as an art form. The power of the arts to change society, improve people’s wellbeing, improve career prospects and to give people a voice by using art is becoming ever clearer. Who decides what art is, why it is important, who has access to it and who can produce it is at last changing. It has taken 3 generations to get this far with a long way still to go.
• Three Generations: Patch 1
  Three Generations: Patch 1 1 2 3 GRANDMOTHER MOTHER DAUGHTER Created by Anne Elizabeth Collins (18.03.1938 – 19.11.2015) Method: Cross Stitch My mother’s creative identity was forged as a result of being a white, poor, working class, European girl/woman living in a Western, Christian patriarchal society that gave her limited access to formal or arts education (left school at 15). The judgement on what was art, who could produce art using what materials and focusing on what subjects, who commissioned art or owned art lay in the hands of white, male, European Christian men. Art by ‘others’ was not valued unless seen as having a monetary value or as evidence of conquest and colonization. Art primarily represented male white superiority, status and power. My mother was to them ‘other’ as was anyone who did not look like, live like or hold the same political, societal, spiritual or world view. As such any art that she and ‘others’ fought to produce was not judged to be art at all and was not often seen by others and was and still is undervalued. Despite all of these barriers she found ways to make art both individually and collectively, learning and sharing skills at every opportunity through her work and leisure activities, she created and used art to connect people and preserve culture, history and give herself and people a ‘voice’. In the process during her life and work, she produced beautiful ‘art’ (in her case particularly textiles and calligraphy). One project she participated in was the Henfield villagers’ creation of cross stitch kneelers for the church. Hundreds of kneelers were produced by villagers on the theme of the natural world. My mother gave me books, an opportunity for further education, a love of nature and the arts. She inspired me to never stop appreciating and creating ‘art’. This has been essential to my own creative identity, career and wellbeing.
• Three Generations: Patch 2
  Three Generations: Patch 2 Method: Collagraph Print using collagraph plate, oil-based printers’ ink, inked a la poupee and printed using an etch press onto cotton fabric. Quilted and stitched 1 2 3 GRANDMOTHER MOTHER DAUGHTER Created by Lesley Collins in memory of Patrick Arthur George Collins (17.03.1934 – 31.01.2024) maker of bricks, layer of foundations, builder and restorer of buildings. A true artisan. My Dad laid firm stable foundations and built positive walls that protected, nurtured and kept us safe and he helped knock down ‘walls’ that could limit his children especially his daughters. Excerpt: Mending Wall by Robert Frost Before I built a wall I’d ask to know What I was walling in or walling out And to whom I was likely to give offense Something there is that doesn’t love a wall My Mum overcame many gender barriers and inspired us all to read, access education, create and make a positive contribution to the world in many ways including expressing ourselves through art and a love of nature. Except from Alice Walker book: In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens They were women then My mama’s generation Husky of voice-Stout of Step With fists as well as Hands How they battered down Doors And ironed Starched white Shirts How they led Armies Headragged Generals Across mined Fields Booby-trapped Kitchens To discover books Desks A place for us How they knew what we Must know Without knowing a page Of it Themselves My mother inspired a love of art and creativity. I was fortunate that at school art was given value including history of art. Some subjects were gendered such as ‘needlework’ for girls only and woodwork for boys. Occupational Therapy College gave the opportunity to learn and apply a range of creative arts to therapy including textiles. Throughout my life I have attended creative workshops and exhibitions. More recently I started a Designer Maker Course which included textiles and printing as well as working with a range of other materials Recent Inspirations Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art: Barbican 2024. Particular artists that inspired me include: A) Yee I-Lann: Tikar/Mijar (2018) B) Cecilia Vicuna: Animita (Spirit House) objects for the Chilean Resistance