The Streets are our Canvas

This week I have come accross many inspiring an object....a crisp packet lying on the pavement, a broken window pain, an old torn poster. All abandoned, riddled with their own unique history and full to the brim with potential.

On an Emroidery trip today to the Liverpool Biennial, I noticed some rubbish caught in the metal grid of a window. I imagined how wonderful it would be to turn the grid into my cloth, and the rubbish into my thread, weaving it in and out, to create a recycled piece of public artwork for all to see as they walked past. The people would stop and take note. I think.

My favourite arches have already been transformed into someones' canvas. Grafitti in the right place, is just as special as a painting in the right gallery.

The film set on my doorstep is a constant source of inspiration, ever changing and magically transporting the people of Manchester to another era.

Happiness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tt5hq/You_and_Yours_21_09_2010/

"Look at your Cloth and Cut your Coat accordingly"

What a lovely line to follow in life.

An Inspiring Walk...

I had forgotten how much I love these arches, covered in Graffiti. There was a boy sat there today drawing them, so I felt spurred to captured them too.

Glove Love

Embroidery project No.1. Gloves, Gauntlets and Mittens. Do what you will.

I played with the idea of crimainals wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, thus concealing their identity. What if a pair of gloves, the fingers in particular, did the complete opposite and exposed someone. I chose my best friend to be the culprit and created five little trinkets of information about her, including words, phots and ephemeral paper, all sewn together. I then snipped the ends off a pair of rubber gloves, popped the information in and made little finger ice-cubes.

Each finger is like a finger print, revealing something about her.

Photographed at a crime scene.

I've also included my favourites from the other work on display; Gloves for Lovers, Many Hands make for Light Work and This Little Piggy.....

My Manchester, My New York

What could possibly be more inspirational than to live on the film set of a 1940's New York street scene? This is happening to me. Yes it's actually happening. The street I live on has been utterly transformed by the magical hands of Captain America's set - designers.

Abandoned buildings have been turned into old Cigar shops, Wedding boutiques, Antiques stores and Pharmacy's, with their windows full to the brim of beautiful nostalgic items and awnings flapping in the Manchester wind. The roads are flooded with stunning Vintage cars. The smell of the upholstery, oh god, I nearly fainted with the wonder of it. Wartime posters cover the billboards, which before advertised cheesy drunken club nights for the new freshers in the city.

Such a romantic time.

They start filming today.

I don't care too much for spotting the actors, but I could wonder up and down the street of American history for hours, kicking the New York dust from the pavements, up into the Manchester air.

DIY Shelter

An ideal living situation....

Barbara Jones, My New Hero

This is a lady I have only recently come accross and one whos interests are very much in line with my own. Art of the people. She was a pioneer in the field of popular culture and in 1951 curated an exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery...

Black Eyes and Lemonade

A vast collection of teatowels, china ornaments, posters, toy soldiers, tatoos, souvenirs, crochet tea-cosys, teapots, old paintings, rocking horses, cereal packets and so on.

These were things that were rarely found in galleries, but rather in bedrroms, shops and cinemas. We stare at them blankly on the bus.

Lets consider them for once.

It is the art of everyday, the things that are around us. The things which we buy or make just because we like them. The improvised methods of men who wanted to construct boats, build cathedrals and paint pictures, but lacked the right materials.