‘Mud and Thread’ is a creative collaboration between textile artist Joy Merron and ceramic artist Gill Bliss. Gill and Joy met during a lockdown project set up by Somerset Art Works, called ‘Somerset Reacquainted’. Initially the group’s only contact was through zoom calls; but Gill and Joy found common ground in their experiences and outlook. This led to the suggestion that working together may present exciting and effective possibilities to push the boundaries of their material skills and broaden their individual practices. This blog (in conjunction with Instagram postings), will be used to document the journey of their collaboration, beginning in January 2021 and recording 18 months of their explorations, insights, and outcomes.
(The blogs will be written to record progress of each month’s work and published in the following month. Therefore the blog titled June will be published in July, the blog titled July will be published in August and so on. )
https://www.instagram.com/mud_and_thread/
-
Evaluation – Final thoughts blog ………..
The 18 month duration of the ‘Mud and Thread’ collaboration has now been completed and so this final blog is an evaluation of the partnership: what it has brought to each artist; the opportunities that have emerged, and how their joint working practice might influence future work. Although the initial timescale has been completed, thereContinue…
-
June/July 2022: Combining Elements
Joy: This time last year was for me the start of a journey investigating how to interpret the elements thorough our combination of mud and thread and my focus began with water and water vessels and how historically leather, wood and clay have been used to make containers – pilgrims flasks, costerels and for wine,Continue…
-
April/May 2022:Seam Collective Residency
Banner image taken from @seam_collective The last couple of months have been taken up with opportunities to show ‘Mud and Thread’ work, and also Gill and Joy’s individual work. These have included the fifth ‘Fifty Bees’ exhibition (ACEarts, Somerton) for both artists; Joy taking a prize with her Kimono at the Stitch Festival at IslingtonContinue…
-
Feb/March 2022. A drawing residency…
In February Gill and Joy were able to get together for a day of drawing. Joy booked a space at Batcombe Village Hall, which was ideal as a neutral space away from their personal workshops. The light was good and there was plenty of table and floor area for working freely. The residency was aContinue…
-
Dec’21/Jan’22. More about the makers…
It is a year since we began our ‘Mud and Thread’ collaboration. This post will take a change of pace and use a Q and A format to reveal insights into Gill and Joys working lives and personal history with their crafts: How/why did you start working in your chosen medium – what inspired youContinue…
-
Oct/Nov 2021. The value of a mentor……..
As part of the SAW Pair-up scheme, which gave Mud and Thread a small grant towards the collaboration, Gill and Joy have access to 3 x 1hr sessions with Zoe Li from SAW. During the second of these sessions this month they were able to examine where they felt the work was going and whatContinue…
Mud and Thread 