Traces at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester

Sara Impey - Negative Spaces, Positive Times (detail)

If you happen to be in the Cotswolds before 15 March 2020 pop into New Brewery Arts in Cirencester and take a look at Traces.  This exhibition by Quilt Art, a group of international textile artists, explores the themes of memory and the power of stitch.  The group was founded in Britain in 1985 to promote the quilt as an art form. Not all work conforms to the traditional definition of a quilt but all work exhibits the artists' united passion for stitch, fabric, colour and texture and the limitless posibilities of the textile surface.  Here is a sample of the work on show...

Charlotte Yde - The Missed Ones

Charlotte Yde - The Missed Ones (detail)

Cherilyn Martin - Silent Dialogue #2

Fenella Davies - Sea Fret

Jette Clover - Cry Me a River

Karina Thompson - Recovery Quilt 2-2018 (detail)

Sara Impey - Negative Spaces, Positive Times

Sue Hotchkis - Breakdown

Sue Hotchkis - Breakdown detail

New Brewery Arts in Cirencester is a great place to visit.  It has a fab cafe, an interesting craft shop and varied exhibitions.  It is adjacent to a large car park if visiting by car.

 

The Feathered Aviator - Cirencester

On a recent trip to Cirencester I took in the current exhibition at New Brewery Arts - "The Feathered Aviator" by Celia Smith.  It celebrates the role of the homing pigeon in communications during World War 1.  The delicate wire sculptures reflect the bird's twin qualities of fragility & strength.  Some pigeons were made by members of the local community and carry messages written by those who made them.

Celia Smith says:

Here's a flavour of the exhibition ...

Flock of Pigeons

Pigeon's carrying messages

 

Close up

wire bird sculptures also make attractive shadows

 
Comments on communications during WW1 and today:

and the wire connection:

You can even make your own pigeon & message and add it to the large wire poppy sculpture ...

Wire

Instructions

Mould

Adding our pigeon to the poppy

"Hoping you are all safe at home"

The exhibition is on until Sunday 7 September - it's well worth a look!