Darned Heart Sampler – vintage linen, vellum,vitreous enamel, silk mirror
This is a first for me and I want to share it with you – I am, from today, exhibiting in America. I have 2 pieces of work in an exhibition called Mending = Art showing at the Gershman Gallery in Philadelphia and this evening I should be at the private view, but instead I have just returned from Heart Space Studios having run a birthday party, making beaded brooches with ten 9 years olds – and very enjoyable it was too. But how I would love to be seeing my work in an international exhibition at such an amazing event as the Philadelphia biennial textile art festival FiberPhiladelphia 2012.
the inspirational wood cut from the Berlin Museum- Frau Minne’s way with Mens’ hearts
The call out came early last year, from American textile artist( she of the wonderful brilliant red website) Diane Savona, for textiles made around the theme of Mending…this must have been the universe answering my call. I had several things on offer, as looking at the ‘ Ongoing Work” section of this blog will show you. But unusually she also asked me to send her an image of the inspirational early woodcut that has inspired at least 10 years of textile and enamel work, and mending was the subject of my first post in this blog.
counterpane/counter-pain – vintage cotton and cotton thread
and above is the other work that Diane chose to represent my mending embroideries, a real heart-felt cry now that I look back on it, I can remember every stab that contributed to this image but then yoga certainly reaches the parts the needle can’t.
So this is the shorted post I have ever written, but now I am off to celebrate with a glass of something chilled and pink and fizzy……
OK so it’s the day after the night before day and here are the pictures from the exhibition sent today from Diane Savona.
from left: Amy Orr (organizer of FiberPhiladelphia) Miriam Shapiro (curator at the Gershman) Dorothy Caldwell and Libbie Soffer, as Amy says a few words in front of the Japanese boro from the Liao Collection.
and very glad to see a video work from one of my colleagues Amy Houghton,
then there is my work hung together with Frau Minne keeping count in the middle of it all….
mine all mine!
something tells me that that red and white is the new black, white and grey of studio art textiles…..
Ilaria Margutti in front of her work
and again….
Wolfie Rawk in front of her work
and yet again…..well mending seems to = blood red for a whole lot of women.
Erin Endicott in front of her work……ooooh!!!!!!
4 comments
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March 6, 2012 at 3:11 am
artist
Janet,
My friend Alan and I had a really private viewing; we were there on Saturday and had the luxury of taking all the time we needed to absorb and enjoy that exhibit of Diane’s.
Alan fell in love with your piece that incorporated the Buddhist hands and I was so happy to see the inspiration for your Counterpane/counterpain piece. Diane is so smart to have included it! We could not make the opening on Sunday, which was too bad – but I had seen and chatted with Dorothy, Diane, and Erin at other openings on Saturday.
Congratulations on being invited into such a beautiful exhibit which is part of a brilliant city-wide event. Your work is a joy.
March 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm
janethaigh
well thanks to both you and Alan for these comments, lovely to receive this first thing this morning. I wish that I had the time to travel to the event as I have heard and read so much about it over the past few years. I was especially delighted to be chosen to exhibit by such a powerful textile artist as Diane, the exhibition looks fascinating.
As for Frau Minne, mistress of the broken hearts, she still has great power to inspire me, I have made many drawings, embroideries and vitreous enamels while under her influence and I still am compelled to develop more work from her – she certainly brought out the hidden mender in me….Janet
March 10, 2012 at 5:04 pm
Noel Payton
Oh my, I was so excited when I stumbled across your blog; it was like finding a treasure chest of all my favorite things. You can’t imagine how disappointed I was to discover you are in the UK because I can’t visit you and Heart Space Studios! I’ll make do by drooling over your work and reading your entries. I am a very amateur painter, embroiderer, and quilter among other enthusiasms, and now I know where to come for additional inspiration. Thank you for some glorious time spent on your blog and related sites.
March 11, 2012 at 11:02 am
janethaigh
Hi Noel,
well sorry that I am so far away but at least you have the recorded highlights of my work and are just in time to follow the whole of a live project I am working with a partner whom I have never yet met. We have struck up a working relationship using email and now a blog …amazing really.
So please continue to look in and check how my, quite scary, live project progresses…we are hoping to develop all types of different media for our metamorphosis piece.
janet