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| Alice Kettle |
I had an unexpected day out in Edinburgh last week. My facebook and twitter friend Sue Hotchkis
was staying in Edinburgh and got in touch to see if we could meet up at my
exhibition. Unfortunately that was while
I was away in Northumberland, but we met at the Royal Scottish Academy/ National Gallery
instead on Monday. It was fantastic to
meet her in person and share stories of textile doings and exhibitions. And it was thanks to her I got to see the
wonderful VAS:T exhibition that was on at the Royal Scottish Academy. Wonderful in the most part due to three
enormous Alice Kettle embroideries that filled one of the rooms. These had huge pictorial impact as I tried to
puzzle out the story they were telling and I am afraid I behaved like a true
textile person trying to peer at the back to work out how they were done. I know Alice Kettle generally stitches her
work from the back, but trying to figure out how she got such weighty pieces
under her sewing machine was staggering.
I don’t think I have the physical strength! Technically I also loved how she uses a loose
bobbin to create different textures on the front (many quilters with their
tight thread paintings would have fits – but it does it make Alice’s pieces
much better!) and the sheer amount of thread used.
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| Paul Furneaux Soft Sea |
I hesitate to make such a textile person comment, but it was
really refreshing to see these pieces and other textile pieces from the open
exhibition hanging in such a gallery, known primarily for painting. But perhaps my point isn’t a sense of
justice, more that they seemed right there and no less important than those
using more traditional painterly mediums.
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| Carmen Groza – Poussieres d’etoiles |
Given I had limited time due to having to get back for
school pick up I didn’t have a huge amount of time to see the Scottish Drawing exhibition, which was also on. It has
some beautiful pieces, some showing how a simple mark made with black ink or
charcoal can be so evocative. I think I
liked them better than the detailed ones!
So thanks Sue for a great day out. Reminds me I need to get out more often!
2 comments:
These pieces certainly sit well in a gallery setting and, although I don't like Alice Kettle's work, (sharp intake of breath from all your textile followers!), I do admire her for the way that she has taken stitch into an art form.
You don't have to like everything Maggi! Personally I kij her use of colour and the blending / toning she does.
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