So, Mrs R, How’s it going then?
Update on the exhibition opening - lots of photos and a quick canter through who Unravelling History features.
We had a Private View evening on Thursday, a talk on Friday and a Meet The Artist on the Saturday, and I’m so relieved that all went well!! Rather stressful putting something out there and being unsure of how it’s going to be received. Cheers!
Annabel at the Private View
I also met some wonderful people including Qian Zephaniah who came along to see the work I’d done on her husband, the world reknowned poet, Benjamin Zephaniah. It was beyond lovely to chat to her about her life and about Benjamin. Also lovely to see and hear the victims volunteers, of the Windrush Quilts! (below: left, Qian, Annabel and Abi - right, members of the Windrush community)
I took “Icon” out of it’s frame as the balance against the rest of the work was better. It’ll go back in when the exhibition ends.
Front and centre of the space, so you could see it as you walked down the corridor to the gallery, was the amazing new work by Daniel Lismore. Raised in Coventry, Daniel Lismore is an artist, designer, perfumer, stylist and human rights warrior. Named by Vogue as ‘England's Most Eccentric Dresser’, he is known for living through his art. Lismore’s sculptural ensembles, each fashioned from his personal collection of over 7,000 curiosities reflect his multi-dimensional identity – platforming themes of personal expression and self-preservation. (Below: Daniel Lismore and his new sculpture Field Marshal - part of his Glittering Army). It was fabulous to hear about where all the little pieces of the sculpture came from and how many famous people had donated clothes, materials, badges, jewellery etc.
Daniel Lismore and Annabel Rainbow. Behind, “Field Marshall”.
Laura and Linda Kemshall are a mother and daughter team who work out of Shropshire. Their work is quite different so it’s fabulous to be able to show both styles at the exhibition. You can catch up with them here.
Laura says: “My work has a layered approach with a love of drawing and painting at the heart. I teach online video workshops alongside my mom Linda Kemshall. We also produce free content on our Substack page. You can find links to all of that and see my latest work on my website. I’m currently a brand ambassador for Madeira Threads and Husqvarna Viking UK”.
Linda adds: “I’ve been drawing and painting all my life. I’m passionate about watercolour but also enjoy acrylics, print and mixed media. Oh - and I should also mention I love keeping sketchbooks, altering books and generally making art in its many different forms”!
Below: Linda Kemshall “Sunflower”. and Laura Kemshall, “Feverish Dreams”.
Jennie was happily showing people how she makes her tapestries and gathered quite a crowd. She says: “My tapestries are a physical labour of love – whilst it is a traditional warp and weft form of vertical and horizontal weaving, it offers the opportunity to create shapes of a pictorial manner. The image grows millimetre by millimetre, resulting in a saturation of intense colour, softness and warmth which is hard to rival in any other artform. These are the qualities which endear me to the medium and enable continual development of imagery and form”. (below: “Ripple and Ribes”.
Jennie Moncur, Ripple and Ribes.
Stephanie Redfern: She says she’s been “A ceramist for 20 years after leaving art college in 1984, I began working in textiles and mixed media in 2003, making large and small wall hung pieces, and artist’s books. Many of the best things that happen in my art are a combination of personality, experience, life and the patterns and spaces that move me.
I construct my work using collage techniques, hand stitch, and quite a lot of embellishment. My work consists of artist’s books, for which I also write the text, large wall hangings, and smaller pieces of textile work”. (below: Stephanie Redfern “Yes” detail)
If you are able, it would be lovely to see you at the gallery at anytime between now and when we close on 11th May. All details of opening times etc are on the last posting. There are 2 more Meet The Artist days and a talk on samplers. I’ll be trying to add a bit about why I chose a sampler to work from and how I did it - both techniques and inspirations behind the pieces. (below: The Harmony of Difference 1 and 2, and Windrush being installed.
