**Page ii: A Personal View** Piss Flowers by Helen Chadwick, 1991-2. Photo by Tate/ Seraphina Neville from the installation at Tate Modern, 2024. Cut from an article (Say it with Piss Flowers) in which Holly Connolly, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Anya Gallaccio, Sylvia Legris and Nicolas Deshayes share words of appreciation. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Civilisation Collages - Credits

August 4, 2025

If you are reading this you are probably visiting the Barbican Library - so THANK YOU xx

In ‘Civilisation’, I’m questioning the bias of my early art education, which came mainly from Lord-Sir-Baron-Kenneth-Clark, born into a wealthy ‘textiles family’, and his popular television BBC programme/book, ‘Civilisation’. I’ve made stitched collages from said book (published by BBC/John Murray, this edition 1971), combined with discarded gallery (mainly Tate) magazines. Lord-Sir-Baron-Kenneth omitted female artists from his account, which is what started me off on these collages, but as the project progressed I have annoyingly fallen in love with the snobby bastard. I don’t agree with what he is saying a lot of the time, but his style of writing is superb and an utter joy to read.

Page i: the men who gave new energy

Piss Flowers by Helen Chadwick, 1991-2. Photo by Tate/ Seraphina Neville from the installation at Tate Modern, 2024. Cut from an article (Say it with Piss Flowers) in which Holly Connolly, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Anya Gallaccio, Sylvia Legris and Nicolas Deshayes share words of appreciation. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page ii: A Personal View

Page 1: less agreeable

‘Prow of Viking ship. British Museum, London’.

Clint Eastwood in ‘For A Few Dollars More’. Sergio Leone, 1965. Cinematography by Massimo Dallamano. Great Movies, Mandarin Publishers (for Marks and Spencer), 1985. Edited by Nick Roddick.

Page 6: Skellig

‘Seventh-century monastery, Skellig Michael, off the Dingle Peninsula, Western Ireland’.

Page 9: copying of books

‘Neptune dish from Mildenhall treasure. British Museum, London’.

Sweet chilli chicken breasts, Lidl Weekly, 27.2.25.

Page 13: purely pagan people

‘Gokstad ship (mid ninth century). Ship Museum, Oslo’.

Maxine Laceby, Absolute Collagen advert, Grazia, Issue 834, 25.7.22.

Page 25: resist dyeing

‘Anglo-Saxon crucifixion from the Ramsey Psalter (c.980). British Museum, London’.

Kimono, crepe silk, resist dyeing and embroidery, Kyoto, 1710 - 40. Joshibi University of Art and Design Museum. From an interview/article with Anna Jackson (Keeper of the Asian department specialising in Japanese dress and cultural exchange between Japan and Europe) curator of ‘Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk’, Feb - June 2020, V&A Museum, London. V&A Magazine, Winter 2019. 50p from a charity shop.

Page 26: Superstar

‘Cross of Gero (c.970). Cologne Cathedral’.

Celine advert. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 27: Charlemadge

‘Reliquary in the form of the head of the Emperor Charlemagne (c. 1350). Aachen Cathedral Treasury’.

Queen Elizabeth II. Photo by Mike Tindall?/ Getty?/ PA Images? Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 32: orderly mountains of stone

‘Durham Cathedral’.

Farm at Watendlath by Dora Carrington, 1921. Photo: Tate. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64. From an advert for ‘Dora Carrington: Beyond Bloomsbury’, Pallant House Gallery, Nov ‘24 - Apr ‘25.

Page 34: sitting like an empress

‘Ecclesia, manuscript illustration. Bayerische Bibliothek, Munich’.

Yayoi Kusama. Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki/ Ota Fine Arts/ Victoria Miro/ David Swirner. From an advert for ‘Every Day I Pray For Love’, Sept - Nov ‘24, Victoria Miro Gallery, London.

Page 36: unashamedly extravagant

‘The abbey church of Cluny in 1879 (from a lithograph by Emile Sagot). Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris’.

Advert for Art Academy. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 37: irrepressible, irresponsible energy

‘The Gloucester candlestick (early 12th century). Victoria and Albert Museum, London’.

Detail from More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid, by Mike Kelley, 1987. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 45: for alan sugar

‘Egyptian porphyry jar transformed into an eagle (c. 1140) for Abbot Suger. Louvre, Paris’.

Leigh Bowery by Fergus Greer. Session 1/ Look 2 1998. Front cover of Tate Members’ Guide: Jan-Feb-Mar 2025

Page 54: pillar people

‘Kings and Queens, Chartres Cathedral’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut these circles from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 65: Castle of Love

‘Siege of the Castle of Love (ivory, c1360), Victoria and Albert Museum, London’.

Detail from More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid, by Mike Kelley, 1987. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 67: how to treat women

‘Maries at the Sepulchre (ivory), Victoria and Albert Museum, London’.

Artwork by Mike Kelley, The David Geffen Company, 1992. Cut from ‘Dirty: A Love Letter’, an article by Susan Finlay about the influence of Mike Kelley. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 69: disobedient women

‘Virgin and Child (ivory, 14th century). Louvre, Paris’.

Artwork by Mike Kelley, The David Geffen Company, 1992. Cut from ‘Dirty: A Love Letter’, an article by Susan Finlay about the influence of Mike Kelley. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 72: Only artists and birds

‘Drawings of birds from sketchbook (c. 1400). Magdalene College, Cambridge’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut these birds from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 73: The Duke at dinner

‘De Limbourg, The Duke of Berry at dinner, from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. Musée Condé, Chantilly’.

Leigh Bowery dressed as a Christmas pudding for one of a series of cards produced in 1987 (Get Started Cards, 23 Beak St, London). Photo by Johnny Rozza, styling by Clive Ross. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 75: marriage to poverty

‘Sassetta, St Francis’s Marriage to Poverty. Musée Condé, Chantilly’.

Painting by Yayoi Kusama. Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki/ Ota Fine Arts/ Victoria Miro/ David Swirner. From an advert for ‘Every Day I Pray For Love’, Sept - Nov ‘24, Victoria Miro Gallery, London.

Page 82: supreme dramatist of human life

‘Giotto, Kiss of Judas. Arena Chapel, Padua’.

The Prenatal Mutual Recognition of Betty and Barney Hill by Mike Kelley, 1995. Photo: Fredrik Nilsen/ Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 88: external bin area

‘Courtyard, Ducal Palace, Urbino’.

Unnamed royal corgi. Report by Thomas Whitaker about Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Photo: Alamy. Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 92: love of opposites

‘St Augustine, Sandro Botticelli, 1480. Fresco. Ognissanti, Florence’.

Glove puppet of Judy, Fred Tickner c 1975. Given by the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild. Cut from V&A Magazine, Winter 2020 (50p from a charity shop). Photo V&A.

Page 105: of nameless breed

‘Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini and his Wife. National Gallery, London’.

Artwork by Mike Kelley, The David Geffen Company, 1992. Cut from ‘Dirty: A Love Letter’, an article by Susan Finlay about the influence of Mike Kelley. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 109: fought his way through security

‘Justus of Ghent, Federigo di Montefeltro. Ducal Palace, Urbino’.

(Right head) Extracurricular Activity Projective Reconstruction #4 (Vampire Boss) 2004-5, by Mike Kelley. Cut from Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63. (Left head) Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol, 1962. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025.

Page 116: once been a beauty

‘Giorgione, Col Tempo (detail). Accademia, Venice’.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1951, by Yousuf Karsh. Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 117: the scene has changed

Bobby Baker, Displaying the Sunday Dinner, 1998. Photo by Andrew Whittuck. Tate Etc, Spring 2024. Issue 61.

Page 122: alarming young man

‘Michelangelo, David, Accademia, Florence’.

Leigh Bowery by Peter Paul Hartnett. Taboo, Maximus, Leicester Sq., London, 1985-86. Article by Princess Julia. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 125: God-like perfection

‘Dying Slave (Captive), Michelangelo, c1510-13. Louvre, France’.

Leigh Bowery by Fergus Greer, 1988. Session 1, Look 2. Michael Hoppen Gallery. Tate Members’ Guide, Jan-Feb-March 2025.

Page 132: Raphael loved the girls

‘Raphael, Parnassus (detail). Vatican, Rome’.

Unnamed woman in Dior jewellery advert. Tate Etc, Autumn 2022, Issue 56.

Page 133: the great lost paintings of antiquity

‘Raphael, Galatea. Villa Farnesina, Rome’.

Leigh Bowery by Fergus Greer, 1994. Session VII, Look 34. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025.

Page 138: the character of the northern man

‘Riemenschneider, Adam. Castle Museum, Würzburg’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut these eyes and lips from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 148: inordinately vain

‘Dürer, Walrus (water-colour). British Museum, London’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut this eye from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 151: something is missing

‘Leonardo, Star of Bethlehem (drawing). Royal Library, Windsor’.

Page 156: old fashioned history books

‘Dürer, Oswald Krell. Alte Pinakothek, Munich’.

Ramon Novarro (can’t find the film. Anyone?). Great Movies, Mandarin Publishers (for Marks and Spencer), 1985. Edited by Nick Roddick.

Page 158: intelligent nun

‘Cranach, Luther’s Father. Albertina, Vienna’.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1951, by Yousuf Karsh. Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 160: bad for art

‘Urs Graf, Swiss Mercenary (drawing). Kunstmuseum, Basel’.

Artwork by Yayoi Kusama. Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki/ Ota Fine Arts/ Victoria Miro/ David Swirner. From an advert for ‘Every Day I Pray For Love’, Sept - Nov ‘24, Victoria Miro Gallery, London.

Page 165: great pessimists

‘Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire’.

Four-Square (Walk Through), 1966. Barbara Hepworth. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025.

Page 168: the most grandiose piece of town planning

‘Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome’.

Do Ho Suh, Hub series at the Museum of Contemporary Art Astral, 2022. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025. Walking The House, Tate Modern, May - Oct 2025.

Page 174: Painters were even worse

‘Daniele Crespi, St Carlo Borromeo. S. Maria della Passione, Milan’.

Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025.

Page 178: dazzled enlightenment

‘Bernini, Longinus. St Peter’s, Rome’.

Page 179: ecstasies should be vividly recorded

‘Rubens, Crucifixion of St Peter. St Peter’s, Cologne’.

Simon Foxton by Jason Evans (No title). From the series Strictly 1991. Tate Members’ Guide, Jan-Feb-March 2025.

Page 193: I am in Holland

‘Frans Hals, Regents of the Old Men’s Home (detail). Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut these eyes and lips from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 198: they have some leisure

‘Pieter de Hooch, Interior. National Gallery, London’.

‘Fat Gill as Miss Fuckit at the seventh Alternative Miss World competition, 1986’. Photo (with Leigh Bowery) by Robyn Beeche. Article by Andrew Logan. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 200: superfluidity of wealth

‘Amsterdam, 17th Century houses’.

Princess Anne feeding penguins at Edinburgh Zoo. Photo: PA Images. Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 201: uncanny realism of the sheep’s head

‘Paul Potter, The Bull (detail). Mauritshuis, The Hague’.

Orchard Bird by Ronald Moody, 1968. From the article ‘A Caribbean Emblem’ by Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski. Photo by Philip Connor/ The Ronald Moody Trust. Tate Etc, Summer 2024, Issue 62.

Page 207: I’ve never had a pedicure

‘Rembrandt, Bathsheba. Louvre, Paris’.

Advert for Art Academy. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 208: study to be quiet

‘Vermeer, Girl Reading a Letter, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’.

Tate Members’ Guide, Jan-Feb-March 2025.

Page 219: waste of money

‘Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral, London’.

Do Ho Suh, Hub series at the Museum of Contemporary Art Astral, 2022. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025. Walking The House, Tate Modern, May - Oct 2025.

Page 235: native good sense of a fox-hunting society

‘Tiepolo, America, from the Staircase Ceiling, Residenz, Würzburg’.

Leigh Bowery at Limelight, London 1987. Photo by Dave Swindells. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 237: it isn’t always easy to tell the difference between Haydn and Mozart

‘Die Wies. Pilgrimage church, Bavaria’.

Detail from More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid, by Mike Kelley, 1987. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 244: the smile of reason

‘Houdon, Voltaire, Musée Farbre, Montpelier’.

Leigh Bowery in ‘Blitz’ denim jacket by Levi Strauss & Co. Photo by Mark Baker, 1986. Article by Caryn Franklin. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 251: gifted hostesses

‘Perronneau, Madame de Sorquainville. Louvre, Paris’.

Leigh Bowery at Taboo, London 1986. Photo and article by Alex Gerry. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 252: Gilles

‘Watteau, Gilles, Louvre, Paris’.

Renate Bertlmann. Tender Pantomimes. Pacifier-Dance, 1976. Advert for Sotheby’s. Frieze Magazine, No. 187, May 2017. Taken from the bin at work.

Page 254: happiest among the working classes

‘Chardin, The Scullery Maid. Hunterian collection, University of Glasgow’.

‘Work in progress ahead of Hew Locke’s Tate Britain Commission, photographed (by Matt Greenwood/ Tate) at the artist’s studio in London, Nov 2021. From the article ‘Moment Is Everything’ by Elena Crippa. Tate Etc, Spring 2022, Issue 54.

Page 260: the gentle bourgeoisie

‘Chardin, La Toilette de Matin, National Museum, Stockholm’.

Leigh Bowery at the seventh Alternative Miss World competition, 1986. Photo (with ‘Fat Gill as Miss Fuckit’) by Robyn Beeche. Article by Andrew Logan. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 261: Naturally, it killed him

‘Huber, Voltaire (water-colour). British Museum, London’.

Mike Kelley, Extracurricular Activity Projective Reconstruction #25 (Devil: Master of Ceremonies) 2004-5. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 263: Thomas Jefferson

‘Houdon, Thomas Jefferson. New York Historical Society’.

Mike Kelley Ahh… Youth! 1991/2008 (detail) Tate. Tate Members’ Guide Jan-Feb-Mar 2025.

Page 267: no more smiles

‘Houdon, George Washington. The Capitol, Richmond, Virginia’.

Illustration by Anna Vickery. Article by I. Kurator (really?). Art Review, March 2017. Taken from the bin at work.

Page 269: The Compleat Angler

‘Constable, The Haywain (detail). National Gallery, London’.

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse by John Bailey. Gone Fishing, Blink Publishing, 2019.

Page 270: fifty-two different meanings

Page 272: it never occurred to him to admire the scenery

‘Wolf, Lauteraargletscher. Kunstsammlung, Basel’.

Detail from More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid, by Mike Kelley, 1987. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 273: Whatever his defects as a human being

‘Rousseau at Bienne (engraving)’.

Leigh Bowery by Fergus Greer, 1988. Session 1, Look 2. Michael Hoppen Gallery. Tate Members’ Guide, Jan-Feb-March 2025.

Page 276: Man (and Woman) Looking at Mountains

‘Casper David Friedrich, Man Looking at Mountains, with Rainbow. Museum Folkwang, Essen’.

Marianne Werefkin, The Red Tree, 1910. Article ‘Art Breaking Free’ by Natalia Sidlina. Tate Etc, Spring 2024, Issue 61.

Page 277: The evolutionary development of plants

‘The evolutionary development of plants (engraving after Goethe)’

Page 279: When Doves Cry

‘Dove Cottage, Grasmere’.

Tracey Emin, My Bed, 1998. Tate. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025.

Page 282: it was rejected from the Academy

‘Constable, Willows by a Stream, V&A Museum, London’.

Julio Le Parc, Double Mirrors, 1966. Atelier Le Parc. Article ‘Are We Dreaming?’ by Lucy Ives. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 284: But all the time Turner was perfecting

‘Turner, Waves Breaking on a Lee Shore. Tate Gallery, London’.

Blanc de Chine porcelain, c1680. Figure group of European huntsmen. Imported from China, decorated in the Netherlands. V&A Magazine, Summer 2019. 50p from a charity shop.

Page 288: another of Mr Turner’s little jokes

‘Turner; Rain, Steam, Speed. National Gallery, London’.

Barbara Hepworth’s hands, photographed by Norman Capener, c1949. Tate Etc, Autumn 2022, Issue 56.

Page 292: Rude

‘Rude, Group from Arc de Triomphe, Paris’.

Leigh Bowery by Fergus Greer. Session VII, Look 38 June 1994. Tate Members’ Guide: Jan-Feb-Mar 2025

Page 297: Woltz

‘David, Madame Verninac. Louvre, Paris’.

Mike Kelley, Timeless Painting #9 1995. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 299: Platty Joobs

‘David, The Death of Marat. Musée Royal des Beaux-Arts, Brussels’.

Prince Louis. Photo by Mike Tindall/ Getty?/ PA Images? Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 300: we cannot have one thing without another

‘Géricault, Madman. Ghent’.

‘An African mask that belonged to Roger Fry (Sang Tribe, Gabon, West Africa). Courtauld Institute Galleries, London’.

Page 303: The history book on the shelf

‘Ingres, Napoleon as Emperor. Musée de l'Armée, Paris’.

Mike Kelley, Ahh… Youth! 1991 (detail). Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 308: Nature is indifferent

‘Casper David Friedrich, The Wreck of the ‘Hope’. Kunsthalle, Hamburg’.

Mariá Bartuszová cleaning snow off the slide at the kindergarten on Sládkovičova Street in Revúca, Slovakia, 1970. From the article ‘A Futurist Form’ by Anke Kempkes. Photo: Estate of Maria Bartuszova/ Alison Jaques. Tate Etc, Autumn 2022, Issue 56.

Page 311: He died at the age of thirty-three

‘Géricault, English Scene (lithograph)’.

Detail from More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid, by Mike Kelley, 1987. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.

Page 316: the noon gun

‘Doré, Men setting their watches by the noon gun (lithograph)’.

Yoko Ono with Glass Hammer, 1967, from HALF-A-WIND SHOW, Lisson Gallery, London, 1967. Photo by Clay Perry. Cut from Tate ‘Exhibition Highlights 2023-24’.

Page 318: middle-class morality?

‘Rodin, Balzac (plaster). Musée Rodin, Meudon’.

Leigh Bowery, Skull, 1992. Photo and article by Nick Knight. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 321: with Mills and Ovens and Cauldrons

‘De Loutherbourg, Coalbrookdale by Night. Science Museum, London’.

Sean Connery as Daniel Dravot in ‘The Man Who Would be King’, John Huston, 1975. Cinematography by Oswald Morris. Adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s 1888 novella.

Page 322: the State of the Poor

‘Rustic Charity (mezzotint after Beechy)’

Unnamed royal corgi. Report by Thomas Whitaker about Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Photo: Alamy. Hello, Issue 1741, 13.6.22. Picture Editor: Becky Cox.

Page 336: somewhat joyless style

‘Brunel in 1857 (photograph)’.

Artwork by Mike Kelley, The David Geffen Company, 1992. Cut from ‘Dirty: A Love Letter’, an article by Susan Finlay about the influence of Mike Kelley. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.

Page 337: factory chimneys in the background

‘Seurat, La Baignade. National Gallery, London’.

Brunette #4 Ponytail with factory bun in original outfit, 1960. Courtesy of Linda Oliva. Barbie, Mattel Inc. Barbie Identifier by Janine Fennick, Apple Press, 1998. Photo by Garry Stuart.

Page 340: influence on Van Gogh

‘Millet, Peasant (drawing). Ashmolean Museum, Oxford’.

I’m sorry, but I currently can’t find where I cut this flower from. I will keep looking, and update.

Page 345: the chaos of modern art

‘Karsh, Einstein (photograph)’.

Unnamed woman in Dior jewellery advert. Tate Etc, Autumn 2022, Issue 56.

It's Not A Fallow Period, It's Lack Of Time

May 1, 2025

I make art in small pockets of time on evenings and weekends. I like my ‘day jobs’, and am lucky to have them, but they are ‘low pay’ and I wouldn’t do them if I didn’t have to. I would be making art instead. And then some.

A few days ago a woman came into the gallery where I work. I liked her immediately. I wrongly assumed she was biding her time before hopefully showing her phone-art with the aim of securing an exhibition. This happens more frequently than I would like. I don’t have, or want, the power to dish-out exhibitions. I was wrong. She had studied Fine Art but now worked for a printing company, which she enjoyed. She said she was too poor to be an artist. When she left Art School she needed to get a job to pay the rent.

I get it.

For the past decade, or so, I have attempted to document the year by stitching newspaper faces to cloth. That’s the 2024 version, above. You can see the names of the ‘sitters’ here.

May begins today, and I haven’t started stitching this year yet. History tells me that if I don’t start in January, then I don’t start at all. There are worse things, I know, but I’m feeling incredibly sad about it. Attaching the ‘faces’, gradually throughout the year, provides my brain with enough delusion to convince it I’m making a lot of art. When in reality I’ve only completed one piece of work in the last three years, because like most working people I’m selling my time to pay the bills and have very little left for art making. This is NOT the same as having a ‘fallow period’. I am not having one of those.

I first started stitching paper faces on New Year’s Day 2015 (or 2014?) when a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses knocked on the door and gave me the Watchtower. From then on, every face that came through the letterbox was hand stitched to a large woollen blanket. At about 1,600 faces there was no space left, so I stopped. It took a couple of years, I think. I don’t have a studio, and had no place to store it, which resulted in its butchering. I cut it into sixteen pieces, you can see the top-left corner below.

I enjoyed the process and wanted to continue, but needed something more manageable, something smaller. So in 2019 (sitters list here), I started restricting myself to 365 faces, thereby documenting the year. I’d call it ‘The Audience’ and make one annually. So much for that.

Because of my exile, the 2020 faces weren’t stitched until 2021 (sitters list here). By now, I had an idea of how much space 365 heads needed and budgeted accordingly. Twelve months, spread over four napkins, each the perfect holding size. On account of there being a lack of newspapers for a huge chunk of the year, I replaced some faces with crosses from my parents’ prescription bags and little covid-thingies, both of which were in abundance. It was shortlisted for the Brixton Art Prize.

‘The Audience 2021’ didn’t happen. It’s a pile of dusty newspapers in the corner of my lounge. So is ‘The Audience 2023’ and ‘The Audience 2025’. However, ‘The Audience 2022’ was miraculously completed. Although, I’ve yet to document it so it’s not really finished.

An even bigger miracle is that I made two versions of ‘‘The Audience 2024’. One to sell, eventually. I hope. It just needs signing, dating and backing. I submitted it, unsuccessfully, for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

I’m hoping to show them all at the Barbican Library in August. Maybe I’ll see some of you there?

PS. There’s 15 tickets (from a possible 30) left for my art-talk-meal-thingy, and 48 prints (from a possible 50) left from my limited-edition-delaunay-do-da.

She Kept Her Money In Her Bra

July 31, 2024

James Timpson will be an excellent Minister for Prisons, due in part (very large part) to his incredible mother, Alex.

After reading Alex Timpson’s obituary in 2016, I felt compelled to stitch something because she was bloody amazing. Said stitching (‘Alex Timpson’ and ‘She kept her money in her bra’) remained in a box for six years, until it became part of ‘Exile Textile 3’

This is an extract from my social media post at the time of sewing - ‘Mother of five and foster parent to more than ninety children. Along with her husband, John, she hired young offenders (IN A KEY CUTTING BUSINESS!) and employed people based on their personality. Staff got a day off on their birthday and a free seaside family holiday. Hardly surprising that more than a thousand people came to her funeral’.

In the obituary, one of her family members (94% certain it was James of the new Cabinet) tells a story about how she hated handbags (check) and kept her money in her bra (double check), ‘cash in the left cup, credit cards in the right’.

When I was trying to find the original obituary to confirm the bra story (no luck) I stumbled upon an excellent podcast in which James recalls waiting in the car whilst Alex took babies into prisons to visit their mothers. It’s a great listen. The bit where he talks about including the shop-floor workers in management decisions particularly resonates with me. This absolutely did not happen when I was employed by a large London gallery, and it was totally crap as a consequence. The sign of a good boss is one who listens, actually listens, to the people on the shop floor.

Full Disclosure with James O’Brien, S2 E181.

The fabric is stitched from two of Mr. S’s shirts, which you will recognise from other places.

You can buy a print here.

98 Circles

March 13, 2024

Collage documenting personal, local, national and international events. Five years in the making. Hand-stitched discarded paper (mostly newspaper) to previously embroidered (stitcher unknown, sadly) cloth.

31 x 81cm, unframed.

Exhibited as part of TAILORED 30th March - 7th July, 2024.

Please note, I have stitched the actual newspaper and NOT a reproduction.

1. Spitting Image Covid i newspaper 23.11.20. Photo: ITV* Article by Ian Burrell about the return, after a 24 year absence, of Spitting Image. Created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law, Martin Lambie Nairn, Richard Curtis and Doug Naylor.

2. GBBO Trophy i newspaper 25.11.20. Photo: Channel 4*. Cake Stand Trophy, with the hands of Peter Sawkins, 2020 winner of the Great British Bake-Off. Article by Henry Bird.

3. Minoan Clay Vessel Metro 16.12.19. Photo: Uncredited. 3,500 year-old single-use wine vessel. Article about how disposable cups are nothing new. 'The elite were showing off their wealth and status by throwing these great big parties, feasts and festivals. People were getting together in large groups and much like today nobody wants to do the washing-up,' Julia Farley, British Museum.

4. Embroidery Sampler by Mary Frances Heaton Observer 14.11.20. Gary Calton is the only photo credit for the article, but I'm not sure he took this particular photo. Article by Harriet Sherwood about a new Blue Plaque (thanks to Sarah Cobham and other members of 'The Forgotten Women Of Wakefield') in honour of Mary Frances Heaton (1801 1878). Mary was incarcerated in a Yorkshire asylum for 41 years after challenging a cleric when he didn't pay the money he owed. She had been giving his daughter piano lessons. During her time in the asylum she created needlework samplers.

5. Eye of Norman Cornish Northern Echo 23.11.20. Photo: Sarah Caldecott. Article by Gavin Havery about a new mural of Norman Cornish (1919 - 2014) a pitman painter from Spennymoor, County Durham. The mural was painted by Lewis Durham, and copied from one of Cornish's self-portraits.

6. Royal Engagement Ring Mail On Sunday** 29.11.20. Photo: Daily Mirror/ Getty*. Once belonged to Diana, now belongs to Kate. 12-karat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-karat white gold, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. When Charles proposed to Diana in 1981 the ring was valued at £30k. Article by Emily Andrews and Ian Gallagher.

7. Extinction Rebellion Wreath Northern Echo 12.12.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Ted Hennessey about Extinction Rebellion staging a protest at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day.

8. Water Droplet Metro 24.10.24. Photo: Aalto University, Finland?* Article about how a material, thought to be the most water-repellent ever, has been created in Finland.

9. Gold Pocket Watch Metro 16.12.20. Photo: SWNS*. The watch was presented to Charles Lawrenson, Master of Cargo on the steamship Nubian, by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, in recognition of his services in effecting a rescue at sea. The watch, valued at 20k, had been stolen from a jewellery shop in Islington.

10. Pope Francis' Zucchetto Observer 29.11.20. Photo: Grzegorz Galazka. The Pope has written a book. Article by Julian Coman.

11. 12th Century Coin i newspaper 23.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Tom Pilgrim about an 'excessively rare' 900-year-old coin found in a field in Oxfordshire by John Denham.

12, 13 + 14. Coronavirus Symptom: High Temperature. Coronavirus Symptom: New Continuous Cough. Coronavirus Symptom: Change or Loss of Smell/Taste i newspaper 23.10.20. Illustrator uncredited. HM Government/ NHS statement about recognising Coronavirus symptoms.

15. Ambergris Metro 1.12.20. Photo: Viralpress*. Sperm Whale poo worth £2.4m, used in posh perfumes, washed up on a Thai beach and found by Naris Suwannasang, a fisherman.

16. Kurt Weill's Eye Observer 28.4.19. Photo: Lotte Jacobi, 1930. Article by Vanessa Thorpe about a Kurt Weill opera, The Tsar Wants His Photograph Taken, back on stage 80 years after nazi ban.

17. The Spirit Of The Rose Metro 13.11.20. Photo: Reuters. Article about an extremely rare purple-pink diamond selling for £20m.

18. Doorbell, 11 Downing Street Metro 26.11.20. Photo: AFP/ Getty*. Article about the then Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, painting a grim scene of the public purse, and possibly laying out his stall to become the next Prime Minister.

19. Brit Awards' Print by Ashton Attz London Evening Standard 17.2.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article about Ashton's design for the Brit Awards, and how they won the Evening Standard Art Prize in 2018. I was shortlisted for this prize and it has been a pleasure to watch Ashton go from strength to strength ever since.

20. Let Boris Be Boris Badge Observer 14.7.19. Photo: Dylan Martinez/ Reuters. In reference to Boris Johnson. Article by Nick Cohen about how the main political parties have been taken over by activists who seem to care little for the voters. Comments and Analysis page.

21. Buzz Aldrin and the reflection of Neil Armstrong Metro 19.7.19. Photo: Neil Armstrong. Helmet with the reflection of Neil Armstrong, 1969. Article by Libby Plummer about Nasa announcing plans to put another human on the moon in 2024. However, I've just heard on the radio that it's been moved to 2026.

22. Poppy Wreath Spenny News 22.8.20. Photo: Keith Taylor. Liz Lewarne of the Royal Navy Association, Spennymoor and Ferryhill Branch, laid the wreath to commemorate 75 years since VJ Day.

23. Matt Lucas by Nathan Wyburn Northern Echo 27.5.20. Photo: Nathan Wyburn? Portrait of Matt Lucas on a Potato, by Nathan Wyburn.

24. Great Ormond St Hospital Logo Metro or Evening Standard, July 2019. Conran Design Group* Advert for Walkie Talkie Tower Climb.

25. Green Cross Cut from Mam's Prescription Bag. Designer uncredited. From the final year of my mam's life. Miller's Chemist, Spennymoor.

26. Storm Ciaran Metro 3.11.23. Photo: SWNS*. Article by Josh Milton and Ben Ashton about the aftermath of 104mph UK winds.

27. Virus Infected Cell i newspaper 27.8.20. Photo: AFP*. Credited to The Economist, 2020. A scan of an apoptotic cell (pink) heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (green).

28. USA Election 2020 Logo Metro: 1.10.20. Photo: AFP/ Getty*. Article by Dominic Yeatman about the first televised debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the lead up to the presidential election.

29. Apple Observer Magazine 9.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. HM Government Pension Wise advert.

30. National Emblem of Belarus i newspaper 21.8.20. Photo: Reuters*. Article (from 2020) by Mary Dejevsky about the huge protests that broke out when Lukashenko was declared President. In January 2024 the Guardian reported that he has signed a new law granting him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution and preventing opposition leaders living in exile from running in future presidential elections. He has ruled Belarus for almost 30 years. The next election is due to take place in 2025.

31. Lockdown Pumpkin Northern Echo 31.10.20. Photo: Gary Tidbury. Letters Page.

32. Wok Mail On Sunday** 13.9.20. Photo: Not sure which of these credits applies to the wok: Camera Press/ Alpha/ Avalon* I'm pretty certain none of them. Obituary of Terence Conran (1931 - 2020), ‘responsible for introducing the wok to the UK’, by Ian Gallagher.

33. Cricket World Cup London Evening Standard 15.7.19. Photo: Getty*. Article by Jonathan Prynn, John Dunne, Liam Coleman and Ted Hennessey about England's win over New Zealand in the final. 2019 was the first, and only, time England have won at the time of writing.

34. Door of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Guardian 12.6.19. Photo: Maxim Shemetov/ Reuters. Article by Luke Harding and Jason Burke about some leaked documents showing Russia's aim to exert power in Africa. Thanks to Jan Hicks for identifying the door.

35. Wimbledon Logo i newspaper 08.07.19. Photo: Uncredited. All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. General Championship update.

36. US Presidential Seal Metro 4.6.19. Photo: PA/ Getty*. Article, by Joel Taylor, about the state visit to the UK by the US President.

37. The Soyuz Capsule Parachute London Evening Standard 25.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. Nasa?*. Article about the safe return of astronauts Anne McClain, Oleg Kononenko and David Saint-Jacques from the Space Station.

38. Sophie's Head Cut from The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. Picture Lions, 1973. Beyond repair. Illustrator: Judith Kerr, 1968. RIP Judith Kerr, 1923 - 2019.

39. Nicholas Parsons' Watch London Evening Standard 28.1.20. Photo: Uncredited. Front page photo announcing the death of Nicholas Parsons (1923 - 2020) at the age of 96.

40. Union Jack Umbrellas Metro 12.6.19. Photo: Rex is the only credit in the Metro, but the same photo is credited to Graham Hunt in the Guardian. Article about a cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, by Aidan Radnedge.

41. 50p Brexit Coin Metro 27.1.20. Photo: PA*. Uncirculated coin observing the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. Features the date of withdrawal (31st January 2020) and the inscription, 'Peace, prosperity and friendship to all nations'.

42. King's Cross Clock Time Out London 22.3.16. Photo: Warner Bros*. Harry Potter Studios Tour advert. Possibly Warner Bros remake of clock.

43. Roman Coin Metro 11.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. 2,000 years old. Carausius Denarius. As far as they know, it's the only one in the world.

44. Donatella Versace Vogue October, 2018. Photo: Uncredited. I took the Vogue from the bin at work.

45. Infinity Mirrored Room, detail Time Out London 28.8.18. Photo: Uncredited. By Yayoi Kusama. Victoria Miro Gallery, London. Article about the nine best exhibitions to visit in London at the time. Edited by Eddy Frankel.

46. Hammersmith Pride Roundel Metro 27.6.19. Photo: TFL*. Hammersmith Station. Transport For London advert.

47 and 48. Picasso Tits Can't remember where I cut these from. Reclining Nude by Pablo Picasso, 1932. Private Collection, Rome. Marie-Therese Walter, with whom Picasso started a relationship when she was 17 and he was 45, and married to Olga.

49. Anglo-Saxon Coin Observer 12.5.19. Photo: EPA*. Article by Nosheen Iqbal about the magnificent Anglo-Saxon artefacts (a 1,400yo prince's tomb, almost entirely intact, was discovered at Prittlewell) on display in Southend, and how they are not pulling in the crowds.

50. Extinction Rebellion Symbol London Evening Standard 18.4.19. Photo: Alex Lentati. Article by Justin Davenport, Nicholas Cecil and Daniel O'Mahony about the fourth day of protests in central London.

51. Australian Banknote, detail London Evening Standard 9.5.19. Photo: Uncredited. Article about a misprint on the new (not so new, now) Australian $50 banknote.

52. Anti-fascist T-Shirt Guardian 15.6.19. Photo: Linda Nylind. Articles by Sarah Marsh, Aamna Mohdin and Esther Addley about the rise in homophobic and transphobic hate crime. Chris, the t-shirt wearer was attacked on a London bus and left with a broken jaw when she wouldn't 'perform' for a group of men.

53. The Zero from 10 Downing Street i newspaper 25.07.19. Photo: Uncredited. Front page photograph of the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, under the headline, 'Brexiteers take over'.

54. Notre Dame Medal Can’t remember where I got this. I added this image as a nod to the fire at Notre Dame on 15th April, 2019. The medal was made to commemorate the wedding of Mary Stuart (16yo) and Dauphin Francis (14yo) in 1558. Attributed to Guillaume Martin. Silver. French. 51mm. Met Museum 07.02.

55. Cave Cut from Artrage by Elizabeth Fullerton. Thames and Hudson, 2016. Charity shop. Photo: Uncredited. Maybe Turk? By Gavin Turk, 1991. Ceramic plaque.

56. Help To Buy Logo Metro or Evening Standard July 2019. Designer uncredited. Advert for Galliard Homes.

57. Museum of the Moon Observer 7.7.19. Photo: Finnbarr Webster/ Getty. On display at Sherborne Abbey. Museum of the Moon is a 2016 inflatable installation artwork by Luke Jerram. It is a spherical model of the Moon, with a diameter of 7 metres. Several copies tour the world for temporary exhibitions, often accompanied by music. I accidentally stitched it upside-down. Apologies to Luke.

58. Birthday Balloon London Evening Standard 22.7.19. Photo: Uncredited. One of Priyanka Chopra's 37th birthday balloons.

59. Simona Halep and the Rosewater Dish Observer 14.7.19. Photo: Tom Jenkins/ Observer. Simona Halep holding the Rosewater Dish (introduced in 1886) when she won the Ladies' Singles Championship at Wimbledon in 2019. Article by Tim Lewis.

60. Wensleydale Cheese Observer 16.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. Alamy*? Article by Jillian Ambrose about renewable 'green gas' made from cheese waste.

61. Pound Coin Observer 12.5.19. Photo: PA*. Queen Elizabeth II. Article by Harvey Jones about people forgetting the have pensions.

62. Archie Windsor’s head and Prince Harry’s finger Metro 17.7.19. Photo: Harry or Meghan Windsor/Instagram. Article by Caitlin Doherty about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sharing a new image of their son on Instagram. Image also includes Harry's finger.

63. Coronavirus i newspaper 17.3.20. Photo: Uncredited. HM Government/ NHS statement about what to do if you have Coronavirus.

64. Saturn V Engine i newspaper 15.7.19. Photo: Kennedy Space Centre?* Article by Rob Hastings about a trip around the Kennedy Space Centre, 50 years after the Moon Landing.

65, 66 and 67. NHS: Face, Hands and Space i newspaper 5.10.20. Photo: Hands Face Space. NHS information page, reminding us to wash our hands, cover our face and keep a distance between ourselves and other people.

68. Painting By Henny Lees Original artwork. Posted to me by Henny Lees. Postmark says March 2020.

69. Deep Fried Mince Pie Metro 14.12.23. Photo: SWNS*. From a picture of Bill Rai, owner of Oh My Cod, holding up a deep fried mince pie in his Lincolnshire chippy. The article is about this and other unusual things he deep fries.

70. Boris Johnson's Birthday Cake Metro 16.6.23. Photo: AP*. Article by Sam Corbishley about Partygate and Boris Johnson's lies.

71. GCHQ i newspaper 12.8.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Richard Holmes about hackers, from China and Russia, breaking into the Foreign Office.

72. Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Crest Metro 16.11.23. Photo: PA*. Article by Craig Munro about emergency laws to fly migrants to Rwanda.

73. Golden Globes Trophy Metro 9.1.24. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Ruth Lawes about the Golden Globe winners.

74. Rose For Elianne Metro 29.9.23. Photo: PA*. Article by Liam Coleman about Elianne Andam, killed on her way to school.

75. FIFA Women's World Cup Logo Metro 17.8.23. Designer uncredited, but I think it’s Chern’ee Sutton. …“radial motif featuring 32 colourful squares – celebrating the new expansion to 32 participating nations, and an element commonly seen across the Indigenous cultures of Australia and New Zealand – is a prominent part of the design” (FIFA, 2021)’. Article by Tom Sanders about the Lionesses reaching the World Cup Final.

76. The Moon Metro 24.10.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article about how the Moon is 40 million years older than we thought. Scientists worked it out using lunar dust brought back by Apollo astronauts in 1972.

77. Wheel of the Gold State Coach Metro 11.4.23. Photo: Getty*. Article by Sam Courtney-Guy about Charles III's coronation route.

78. Brexit Bong Metro 3.2.20. Photo: Uncredited. Cut from a picture of Boris Johnson, with the caption, 'Banging the gong for Britain'.

79. Sad Face Emoji Metro 1.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Martha Alexander about ten years of Instagram.

80. Winston Churchill Coin i newspaper 28.12.23. Photo: Royal Mint*. Royal Mint £2 to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Churchill. Created by Natasha Seaward, a graphic designer at The Royal Mint, the Sir Winston Churchill coin features a portrait of Churchill as a young man in 1895, garbed in the uniform of the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.

81. Bird Feeder Northern Echo 10.7.20. Photo: Uncredited. Family Photo? Royal Mint £2 to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Churchill. Created by Natasha Seaward, a graphic designer at The Royal Mint, the Sir Winston Churchill coin features a portrait of Churchill as a young man in 1895, garbed in the uniform of the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.

82. Eat Out To Help Out Logo i newspaper 30.09.23. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/ PA. Article by Jane Merrick about Sunak and the farce that was 'Eat Out To Help Out'.

83. Lock Northern Echo 3.9.20. Photo: Sarah Caldecott. Front page headline of the Northern Echo 'Lockdown Is Looming'. Article by Laura Nolan.

84. Ronnie Scott Plaque London Evening Standard 24.10.19 Photo: Uncredited. Article by Robert Dex commemorating 60 years of Ronnie's.

85. Diego Maradona i newspaper 26.11.20. Photo: Uncredited. Obituary of Diego Maradona (1960 - 2020) by Ivan Ponting.

86. Ant McPartlin Wearing The Helmet Of Snakes Metro 2.11.20. Photo: ITV*. Ant McPartlin endures the 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' Helmet Of Snakes.

87. Madonna's Plait London Evening Standard 18.12.23. Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty. London Evening Standard's 'Pictures Of The Year'. Madonna at the Grammys.

88. Amazonian Ceremonial Necklace i newspaper 18.2.23. Photo: Kin Cheung/ PA. Presented to King Charles by Uyunkar Domingo Peas, spokesperson for the Sacred Headwaters of the Amazon.

89. Belt Buckle of Paul O'Grady London Evening Standard 29.3.23. Photo: Uncredited. Obituary of Paul O'Grady (1955 - 2023) by Robert Dex.

90. Cauliflower Guardian 17.8.19. Photo: Uncredited. 400% increase in the wholesale price of cauliflowers due to the weather.

91. Pacific Football Fish Metro 27.10.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article about a fish, normally 3,000ft below the waves and rarely seen intact at the surface, having been washed up on a LA beach. I'm afraid I cut off its forehead-light-on-a-stalk. That's not the technical term.

92. Snooker Ball London Evening Standard 18.12.23. Photo: Mike Egerton/ PA. London Evening Standard's 'Pictures Of The Year'. Just Stop Oil protests at The Crucible, brought a halt to the World Snooker Championship.

93. Post Office Logo Metro 11.1.24. Photo: BBC*. Front Page headline about the Post Office Scandal. Taken from a photograph with the caption, 'Victims tell their heart-breaking and horrifying stories'. Article by Brooke Davies.

94. Beach Stone in Turkey i newspaper 2.9.23. Photo: Mustafa Unal Uysal/ Getty. Article about the endangered loggerhead sea turtle.

95. Scales of Justice London Evening Standard 5.9.23. Photo: Uncredited. From the top of the Old Bailey. Front cover of the Evening Standard. Article about serious flaws in the justice system.

96. Lottery Ball Northern Echo 30.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. National Lottery advert.

97. Masterchef Trophy with the Hair and Shoulder of Lisa Faulkner Sunday Mirror 16.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. BBC?* Article by Scarlet Howes about Lisa Faulkner and John Torode, and how everyday is just like a honeymoon. Faulkner won Celebrity Masterchef in 2010. Her shoulder and hair can be seen in the background of the trophy.

98. Menopause Supplement i newspaper 30.12.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Connie Dimsdale about the lack of scientific evidence that some menopause supplements work.

* The photo credit appears as it did in the publication from which the image was cut. For the record, I don't accept the name of a company as the credit for a photograph. There was an actual person behind the camera. If you are that person, or know them, please let me know.

** I have never, and will never, buy the Mail On Sunday.

Homage To Delaunay

October 1, 2023

A recreation of the cradle cover Sonia Delaunay made for her son, John, in 1911. The original (copyright, Centre Pompidou) was shown as part of a 2015 Tate Modern exhibition. I was completely bowled over by its beauty.

I used fabrics of sentimental value, as did Delaunay. Each piece of cloth was once worn by my family and friends. For example, the darker green is from the jacket my daughter wore on her first day at school. Coincidentally, this is the same day I started working at the National Portrait Gallery, and the more vibrant red is from my old uniform.

19. Homage To Delaunay

Hand stitched textile

20 x 15cm unframed, 33 x 27.5cm framed

Framed by Jacob at The Framing Room using sapele and museum grade glass.

Photo by Ian Bruton.

Is This A Landscape?

October 1, 2023

Made at my parents’ house during Lockdown, where I found myself living, in what turned out to be the final year of my mother’s life. She was diagnosed with inoperable cancer, just before the pandemic, so I went up North to see her.

A week after my arrival, Dad had a stroke. I was unable to return home to my husband and children, for fear of bringing germs to my parents. I accidentally became their carer and lived with them for eighteen months, losing my employment and my mind in the process.

Rarely leaving the house, I had no art materials. I used whatever I could find. The background is made from my Dad’s old shirt, which Mam will have washed and ironed hundreds of times, and the trees were cut from prescription bags, of which there were many.

33. Is This A Landscape? 2021*

Hand stitched paper to polycotton shirt

11.5 x 44.5cm unframed, 19 x 52cm framed (by The Framing Room)

* It was made in 2021, but I stitched 2020 by mistake. One of many stitch-related mistakes I was making at the time. My head was all over the place. I decided to leave it.

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter

August 26, 2023

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter, 2020.

Hand-stitched textile.

35cms x 35cms, unframed.

Private Collection.

It’s about ‘good girls’ putting up and shutting up.

‘I have no thoughts on this matter’ was my mantra during 2020. At the age of 53, I had moved back to my childhood home, sharing a bed with my mother, in what turned out to be the final year of her life. I left my husband and kids and went 300 miles north. A place where I am undervalued and underestimated. Everybody else's time is more valuable than my own. It was expected of me, and I did it, losing both my jobs, pretending it didn’t matter.

For the 18 months I was there, hand stitching kept me on the right side of sane.

As always, the materials are recycled.

A friend was binning the tea towel, describing it as embarrassing, the way the middle-classes do.

The orange and blue are my husband’s old clothes.

The blue, a shirt I remember him wearing at my cousin’s wedding. I was a Bo-Peep inspired bridesmaid. The evening cèilidh was a riot. We laughed and danced our socks off, except Mr S, who sat on the side-lines, unable to make a fool of himself.

The orange, boxer shorts I bought on Christmas Eve 1991, from the Next near Charing Cross Station, London.

The red fabric, used for my signature, is an old National Portrait Gallery uniform. I worked there for 12 years. Undervalued and underestimated. The date next to it was cut from Amnesty International Magazine, Issue 206.

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter is now available as a limited edition print. The original was bought by a French woman, which I took as the greatest of compliments.

Photo by Ian Bruton.