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, there

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,

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 Islington

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 a

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 you

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 what

September 2021. Holiday influences…..

The second holiday month, September, was filled with time for family and other things, so that practical  work for ‘Mud and Thread’ was less of a focus. Of course this did not mean that nothing happened –  for both artists having this ‘slow’ time offered space for different sorts of inspirational connections to emerge.      Joy:

August 2021. Summer time ideas……

August brought a slower pace to the collaborative work, with family holidays becoming important and both Gill and Joy having other commitments on their time.  The one pressing thing this month was to sort out the submission to the ‘Somerset Reacquainted – Community’ Exhibition at the Brewhouse, Taunton in September.  This is to be the

July 2021. Working together……

With the need to spend a concentrated time working together, a date came in July when Gill was able to host a workshop session at her house/studio.  There was only time for a 4 hour working afternoon, but this was a good starting point. From here, thoughts could develop for how Mud and Thread might

June 2021 Point of reflection…….

June was 6 months into the collaboration, one third of the allotted timescale, and a good point for reflection:   The cushion pieces were fully finished and 5 were on show as part of the ‘Somerset Reacquainted Exhibition – Materiality’ at the Acearts Gallery, Somerton ( 26th June-31st July 2021). It was interesting for Gill and