I am based in Parson Cross, a regenerational area of Sheffield, for my Yorkshire Artspace starter studio for Engaged Practice placement. The studios are not ready until July so I have decided that I need an alternative space to start to get to know the community.
I have just had a really successful meeting at Parson Cross library. They have agreed to let me be ‘artist in residence’ every Wednesday until mid May.
I will be using my time at the library to talk to local people, introduce them to what I do and what I am planning to do as an artist in their area. I will use the time to try out different methods of engagement and to build relationships. I will also use relevant books from the library in my work there as a way of promoting what the library has to offer in exchange for using the space.
My practice is currently focused around using guerilla (or grafitti) knitting and crochet as a way of engaging communities. I will offer people the chance to join in with my activity. Creating small knit and crocheted pieces that we will go and install around the area. I will also use my time in Parson Cross to install pieces of my own around the place.
I have recently made some giant crochet and fabric craft daffodils for a shop window display in another part of Sheffield. The daffodils were used to signal the start of spring and have been causing quite a stir in the shop and really engaging passers by. Once they come down from the shop window, in a couple of weeks, I will take them to the library in Parson Cross and install them there as a way of announcing my arrival at the library and the start of my residency.
The staff at the library have been very helpful and enthusiastic about the idea of my residency. They seem to have strong links with a wide range of the community and they are keen to work alongside me in this venture.
Ruthie Ford
