Sewing, A Journey Through Life via Needle and Thread.

I'm a stitcher. And I'm a storyteller. And I use my art as a way of making sense of my life. I started a project on the 1st of January in 2016, where I wanted to make every day, a little textile picture, for the whole year. And what I found soon was that my mood of the day reflected in that embroidery. Those little fabric pictures that fitted into one little plastic box, which looked like nothing, but once I had hung it up, then I realised what it had actually become. It's an expression of my life. So sometimes there are those difficult works, because I need to work something out inside me. Or sometimes they are also just the mundane, which might make someone giggle. To stitch a little picture that says: "It is unadvisable to cook custard in a kimono", because I kept dipping the sleeve into it. (laughs) They are little nonsense pieces, but at the same time they are... this is what happened in my life you know... that's why it is allowed to be. In a way it's pinning it down, capturing something that's been important for me. In fact, I think a lot of my life happens on the pages. I had this romantic idea of Africa. I made this book where I stitched my story over Karen Blixen's story, because I loved her story 'Out Of Africa'. And there are certain parallels between her life and mine. "My story really began with Harold's leaving in 1976." "A person can very well live without an arm or a leg. Even without one kidney." "But it is not possible to live without your heart." "Three years later, I went to reclaim it." So throughout this book I've stitched down, in a stream of consciousness, my life here. It's not an embroidery. It's a clue. It's a clue for what's going on inside me. If it is emotions or if it is thoughts, you've made something out of something that was sitting inside you or worrying you. And there is something redemptive about making art... ... and cathartic. By externalising those things that you cannot express any other way. A needle is a tool for reparation, for mending, if you think about it. Mending is not just something that repairs cloth, but mending is also what we do inwardly. So that's what we do with our needle too. With the up and down movement, the rhythmic movement, is a very quietening work. You are in the present. You are in the moment. You sit and you stitch. You have a lot of time to think. There is a way, and in a way, needlework has become that path for me. Just trust in life and stitch. It will be fine. Hi everyone. Thanks so much for watching this weeks film. We really appreciate all your wonderful comments. It really motivates us, wanting to make these films even better for you guys. If you would consider donating towards us and helping support us, just click on the link below.

Channel: Reflections of Life

Views: 29,439

Keywords: green renaissance sustainability south africa green living, sharing ideas, inspiring change, patreon, gina, sew, stitch, calm, in the moment, art, out of africa, cloth, fabric, needle, thread, meditation, healing, letting go, let go, green renaissance, inspire, weekly film

Id: EITLA0fvx0I

Length: 4min 46sec (286 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 11 2018