Its been a strange week again, both good and bad, with birthday parties amidst the wreckage of British politics (and football). I didn’t get into the studio, So I am writing this on Saturday morning while Abie (and his dad) are having a nap.
On Wednesday it was my partners birthday and we went to the De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill. We spent most of the time by the Lego table in the café which Abie really enjoyed. I noticed a few pieces of Lego that had been left behind on a plinth. I decided to try and draw the remains of the day on the playmat at home each evening.
On Thursday I had my first workshop in Ealing with a group of women from different faiths, who all brought along their textile work. It was both lovely and moving to hear them tell their stories, which often involved leaving their home country and leaving behind a lot to come here. We also laughed at the subtle domestic protests made through needlework (“Kitchen is closed due to Illness: I’m sick of cooking”) and some of the women described how needlework was something they had to do for their dowry as young girls. It’s interesting to be working in this medium at this point in my life, as it’s been associated with female oppression and domesticity. But it’s also been one of the few avenues for women to express their creativity.
Several of the group had unfinished projects – one woman said she’d been doing the same piece for 11 years. As I was writing this Abie woke up and I am coming back an hour later to finish it, and in fact posting later on in the evening, so I’ve been thinking about motherhood and not finishing things. Time is very fragmented. I think I’ve been reading the chapter of the same book for 2 months.
I was supposed to be taking my piece ‘Brixton Museum’ to the Radical Histories conference at Queen Mary University this weekend but the logistics of getting it there, getting us all there from Brighton, managing accommodation, childcare and invigilating and participating on a no-budget invitation proved impossible. I feel sad as I think it would be a good place to be at this moment in time, but I’m learning what’s manageable and whats not.
On the plus side, I got the news yesterday that I have an interview for a commission I submitted earlier in the week. And I’ve had an interview published online for the Axis website ‘Artist of the month’ feature. A good end to the week despite the uncertainty around us.
