Making More

Back in November I was awarded a commission for "Making More" a pilot project organised by Making Space and LV21 Ltd with funding from Arts Council England.

Paivi Seppala (LV21) and Lynne Dick (Making Space), were looking to commission two UK-based designer-makers to work on a pilot project researching a new business model, focusing on the development of making skills at a local level in Hampshire/West Sussex Border and Kent/Medway areas. I was thrilled to be awarded the commission for Kent as it's the County I live in and love!

The project will involve me developing and delivering a programme of skills teaching sessions for jewellery. The group will then develop a collection of works in a number of workshops, to take forward and retail in local outlets.

The teaching element of the project will take place on LV21, a 40 metre steel-hulled lightship transformed into a floating art space and performance facility. The most unusual place I have ever taught in! I visited LV21 back in December and was amazed at the space and the diversity of events that take place onboard, including: gigs,residencies,workshops and school visits as well as arts management and consultancy.

The project was "inspired by the model adopted by the Rural Industries Bureau in the 1930s recession, where local village women were trained in quilting and these quilts were then sold to the Dorchester, London (later displayed in 2010 at the V&A Quilting exhibition)."

Stella Harding is the other artist, who will be working on the Hampshire project.

Over the next few months I will be sharing with you the development of the project.