Late last year I took part in an online project called ‘Chain’. It was a collaborative project set up by Marina Sheetikoff. Eventually it had a physical presence in a gallery in Brazil where she is based. The results were great. Look out for more about this and some great pictures in the future. Anyway, it got me interested in taking part in more collaborative projects such as the ‘imapiece’ project mentioned in a previous blog. The Button Project in Macclesfield curated by maker Victoria Scholes was yet another opportunity to be part of something bigger than little old me.
Originally I planned to make an enamel button, but my mother died on Easter Saturday and due to delays the funeral is not until 18 April so I am away from my family, my home and my studio at present. Waiting for a funeral when there is such a gap between it and the bereavement means that there is a lot of sitting around, and I can’t sit with my dad twenty four hours a day, so I decided to make my button, but to use embroidery instead.
My button is made in memory of my mother who taught me how to sew and I thought that the butterfly was a fitting image for memories of a life gone. It also happened to fit with the loose suggested theme of metamorphosis that we could use guides inspiration (though we didn’t have too).
For something smaller in size than a 10p coin, it took many hours to sew, but I am pleased with the finished result and, as said, it gave me something to do.
The Button Project, with more than 300 contributors, runs from 14 June – 8 August 2013 at The Heritage Centre, Macclesfield.