Mary Greg’s Threads

Sharon arranges her work on base of cabinet.

Along with the Samuel Crompton threads we have displayed a small selection of Mary Greg’s bygones collection.

This is a photo of Sharon arranging some of the work she has started to develop  in response to the objects.

Object Memories Showcase

Hazel making last minute adjustments

As Hazel says, now showing for the first time ever, the first/finest threads made on Samuel Crompton’s  Spinning Mule. Humble objects of great significance!  Also in the showcase is a small selection of some of the other objects from the Bygones collection, including, Caroline’s Dance card, quizzing glasses, Noah’s Ark animals, the lead cross, scissors, dice and a fabulous row of spoons and keys (compare and contrast with the row of silver spoons in the long cabinet opposite – I know which I like the best!)  You’ve seen them on the blog now see them for real in the Object Memories showcase in the Craft and Design Gallery, 2nd floor, Manchester Art Gallery.

Pride of place for the threads

On the shelf below you can also see some work in progress made in response to the collection from Hazel and myself.  I have also included a recent line of enquiry (a collaboration with jeweller Jenny Walker) based on the threads.

First Threads - collaboration with Jenny Walker

Thanks to Kim May and Jon Tipler, who were there recording the proceedings for a series of short films they are making for the project (apologies for being such a frozen wuss in front of camera!).

Kim and Jon with hi tech equipment!

We are looking for other artists, makers, designers, writers etc to respond to the collection, so if you, or anyone you know, might be interested then please leave a message on the site.  Also watch this space for student responses to the collection as I launch a six week project exploring the Mary Greg Collection of Handicrafts of Bygone Times!  Sharon

Threads on display at MAG

Quick sketches of ideas for cabinet.

Friday 29th January Sharon and I joined Alex to put the Crompton Threads on display to the public for the first time in history (they where hidden away in Mary Greg’s letters).We have also been able to put a few of our other favourite objects to sit alongside them. We could have filled another cabinet easily. We also have also displayed some of our responses to the collection.

Photos are of of the quick sketches in my train note book..variations on how we could display the objects.

“String too small for use”

GOOD NEWS

The Samuel Crompton threads which Sharon and I found in the stack of Mary Greg’s letters has been chosen by MAG for the BBC HISTORY OF THE WORLD series.

Sharon and I are putting some of our work alongside the threads from the mule into a cabinet at MAG.

I am also going to exhibit my box of “string too small for use” which was purchased from a market in London many years ago for 50 pence.

The box is full of off cuts of string, some so tiny it would be hard to find a use for them and it inspired me to make a set of work to give them uses, some of which I will also include in the cabinet at MAG.

Finding the Samuel Crompton threads was such thrill for me. My work has always been based on starting with something like a bit of fluff or a scrap of paper or a lonesome pine needle and upping its status by giving it a story..or history. So finding the first threads from Samuel Crompton’s mule amongst the letters was magical.

You can find the full A History Of The World article here.

Hazel

Value Measures

Thought I’d update you with progress on the value measures I have been making.  I’ve modeled a few variations now, which are drying ready for the application of colour.  You might recognise some elements from the Bygone spoon collection – twisted stems, worn edges, broken….  I’ve tried some different forms and sizes, exploring scale and proportion, and I’ve played with a couple of type faces at varying font sizes.

Assorted Value Measures

I think the idea is worth pursuing though there are a number of refinements to be made.  I’m not happy with the shape of the bowl, generally too round (thought it works with some handle styles), I’m going to explore a more ovoid bowl form or perhaps pear shape like the apostle spoons.  Also the measuring line.  It’s ok indented (made by pressing an edge into the clay), but I want to see what it’s like raised.  I know this seems like, and is, a small detail but I am thinking ahead to the glazing of the spoon.  I want to pour glaze up to the measuring line (the glaze will subtlely change the intensity of the underlying colour and draw the eye to the measure mark) and I am thinking that a raised line will provide a better end point for the glaze.  Practically, it should be easier to wipe any excess glaze from a raised line.  An indented mark would probably fill with glaze, building up excess which could potentially run during subsequent firing.  In anticipating and responding to these potential problems I am hoping to avoid later time consuming and costly disappointments.  I’ve also been making some measuring cups based on some old metal scoops I have.  Not sure about the handles yet though!

Value Measuring Cup

Detail

I suppose this is how an idea develops, considering and refining, reacting to problems and improving.  Of course few people would probably notice these things, other makers perhaps (once developed, a keen eye rarely misses). But I just need to feel that whatever I put out there is as good as I can make it.  As a sole maker you must be your own quality control no-one else has the same vested interest in your work!  Sharon

Masterclass – feedback

Biddulph High

Highfields

Thanks to all participants for the very positive feedback about the masterclasses.  Here are some of your comments!

The best thing about today…. clay making… the way the theme progressed and developed through the day…clay….clay making….working with clay… using clay… making things with clay….clay by far….drawing the object in wire and lots of different ways…things being made out of clay!

Something I would like to change…less talking… the beginning was too long…nothing…more time to explore the gallery….longer in the galleries….more lunch time….nothing….a chance to pause and look at each others work in the afternoon session and use this to add fresh ideas…nothing it was great!

I am surprised that…. I made so much…objects so old and tarnished were so valued….ordinary objects can be interesting….what drawing with the wrong hand turns out to look like….I could draw well with my eyes closed…I managed to successfully mould a piece of clay…clay was as easy as it was…today was as enjoyable as it was, I thought it wasn’t going to be good…I can draw better when I do it quickly….my lack of drawing skill didn’t matter…I can draw well with left hand… I wasn’t bored…we did not have to draw with a pencil!

When I leave I am going to….practise drawing with my eyes closed…practise what I have learnt today…go on the website…try to do more of the activities…tell my family about my clay work…show my grandad my art…remember a good drawing is not always the most controlled…spend less time concentrating when drawing as I have realised I can draw interesting things in less time…look at everyday objects in a different way…pursue clay making…look at ordinary objects in a new way….take the message back to school that it is important to build on what the students have done here today!

Any other comments….Excellent day, thanks!…good day hope we do it again….organise another….the chocolate torte from the cafe was really good (I agree!)…..better than expected….Excellent day, thank you to everyone who led and supported the day.

Thanks to all masterclass participants from the team.  You made it a rewarding and stimulating couple of days.  Hope our paths cross again!  Keep scrolling for further posts. Sharon

Masterclass – student helpers

A very big thank you to Bethan, Rochine and Emily, students from the Three Dimensional Design course at Manchester Metropolitan University, for their invaluable help in running the masterclasses.  I really couldn’t have done it without them!  Every time something needed to be done, they did it before being asked.  If I needed a tool it was there before I even knew I needed it.  And they cleared up before I even got round to it!  All that with good humour and a lovely manner!  If anyone reading this is looking for a great assistant, or even someone to run a workshop (they have a good bit of experience now) they come highly recommended.  Thanks again x

Sharon

Bethan helping out

Rochine drawing with stick and ink

Emily helping with wire drawing

Masterclass – Highfields

Thanks to everyone from Highfields for an action packed day.  Although smaller in number than the first group you managed to make almost twice as much and I hope your laden boxes survived the trip back to School!

Special thanks go to Stephen and Leanne (hope I got that right!) who tried everything that was thrown at them with an open mind and positive attitude.  And of course the accompanying staff who threw themselves into the day with gusto and great creativity!  It was a pleasure to meet and work with you all.  Here are your best bits.

drawing with stick and ink

markmaking in clay

clay work tribute to watch

phone drawings

Stephen's trusty soothers

Hope to see you all at another workshop.

Sharon

Masterclass – Biddulph High School

A credit to their school, pupils from Biddulph High engaged wholeheartedly with the workshop, producing a fantastic range of work.  Particular highlights included the work based on the mobile phone whose owner cited the feelings of loss and sacrifice should he not have access to this particular item and the iPod with poignant comments about the fatality and loneliness felt should this object be lost.  There were lots of fantastic drawings, too many to include but a couple worth highlighting are the dolphin key ring and the pen, which captured the essence of the object whilst displaying great verve and vigour!

group working in clay

Bethan helping out

Dolphin key ring

Pen

iPod

Phone

Loss and sacrifice

Particular thanks to those who commented that the talk was a bit long.  You were right and I adapted this for the following day and it worked much better! Helpful feedback is always appreciated.  Hope we meet again at another workshop, or even at University should your studies bring you my way.

Sharon

Masterclass – the workshop

Bygones handling session

As part of the awareness raising and dissemination of the Mary, Mary project I ran two one day masterclasses at Manchester Art Gallery in Dec 09.  The day included a handling session of some of the Mary Greg Bygones, a talk about Mary and our project and a clay workshop that explored the value and narrative of ordinary and everyday objects, the sort that if Mary were collecting today, she might have acquired for her bygones.

Participants were asked to choose an object from their pocket or bag as a starting point.  Each person was given a luggage tag on which to write the answers to five simple questions: What is the object? How often do you use it?  What do you use it for?  If you didn’t have it what would be the consequence?  Out of a scale of 0 – 10 (10 being high), how important is this object to you? This activity focused attention on the value of familiar artefacts and the role they play in our daily lives (and perhaps gave some insight into Mary’s reasons for collecting the kind of objects she did).  It also provided information and key words for use later in the session.

Further interrogation of the objects came through working directly from them via a series of short exercises.  These included drawing with stick and ink (with eyes shut, with wrong hand etc) and making wire drawings and cloth templates.  The changes in drawing styles and media provided a range of translations.  In each, reference to the original object can be traced if not immediately apparent offering an abstract vision rather than a literal copy.

The cloth templates and wire drawings were then rolled into clay leaving a permanent record of the object.  Further mark making through letter and number stamps and direct drawing  into the clay with sticks allowed the inclusion of some of the key words identified at the outset.  The sheets of clay were then cut, formed and pressed into and over simple moulds and formers making bowls, dishes, plaques or tiles, a personal tribute from owner to object.

Mobile phone

A final display of the original objects with labels and tributes provided  a forum for discussion and the sharing of ideas.  A good (albeit tiring) day was had by all and thanks go to the Art Gallery (particularly Jas Sohel) for organising the sessions and the schools (Biddulph High and Highfields School) for being such keen participants.  The fruits of their labours can be seen in separate posts!  Sharon

Final display and group discussion