Branching out – Concepts for a (festive) domestic space.
December 6, 2013
about the Pop up project space – Saturday 30th November 2013………
Here’s some images from last weeks Pop up project. Taken by photographer and lecturer Antony, Arrowsmith.
The pop up project was not intended as a craft shop, a market stall, a public gallery, or a retail shop, but a place where you can come and browse, buy, commission, talk, discuss…..and enjoy.
It’s a project that Kath and I had been working on for a while, experimenting with the interior space, making and designing things, doing the things we love.
For me this was quite retrospective enabling me to reflect on pieces and processes I’ve been involved with in the last 10 years especially.
The curatorial process to the project has made visible some of the processes that are evident in my day – to -day activity. For instance, masking off the hallway above the dado rail with sheets of ledger paper was particularly carthatic. In this space, Jaspers (the three yr olds) coloured drawings are still evident below the dado rail, and for me expose the way we respond to our immediate surroundings- use, perform and co exist in our domestic space. This has thrown up some interesting questions that I would like to carry on exploring.
The event was so successful we’ve decided to do it again tomorrow. One again, light sculptures, book art, paper products and fabric pieces available.
Branching Out – Concepts for a Domestic Space, Pop Up Event Saturday 30th November 2013
October 30, 2013
This is the first of a series of projects I have been developing, which will be staged in a domestic space.
is a collaboration between myself and Katherine Clewett
Katherine and I were very excited to be working on this project together; the concept ‘Branching Out‘ of which was born out of a genuine desire to expand the perimetres of our own contemporary practices, whilst also introducing those very organic elements (branches) into the theme as a constant linkage or lineage. This we felt very much reflected the concerns we bring to our own practices.
Katherine Clewett
Pendant Lighting Sculpture
Pop Up Products will include:
Contemporary lighting solutions
Interior objects and interventions
Two and Three dimensional drawings
Paper products for accessorising your interior, and packing your products.
Shellie Holden
Paper packaging for packing your products
Further details including times and location will be posted soonish.
……..Pig Gut Parka
October 16, 2013
When I was first invited to take part in this ‘experiment’, to recreate the original Native Alaskan Parka, I was more than intrigued since it would enable me to revisit the collection of Native Alaskan Parkas at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. I first encountered these examples almost 20 years at the museum and was struck by both the beauty and function of the garments.
In short, the original examples were mainly made from seal gut. The indigenous people would hunt, (sacrifice the mammal), then prepare the raw material , so that it was ready for piecing and stitching together into a simple garment pattern. This would involve different members of the tribes, in their specific roles.
So an opportunity to pay homage to these people, especially the skilled craftswomen involved in the latter stages of this process of making the garment, was a challenge I was keen to take on.
Below is a snapshot of the transformation of the gut from the drying stages to fabric construction, into the final garment.
medusa- -like ribbons drying on the line
Cut and pressed fabric in preparation for stitching
Pieced and stitched fabric panel
Machine stitched, treated and couched fabric samples
Pinning, stitching and adding embellishments sourced form Caswell Beech to a part of the fabric
Piecing panels together to make the hood
Front section of Parka. Detail of drawstring toggle constructed form reclaimed fishing rope
Parka- pieced, machine, and hand stitched with embellishments, and drawstring cuffs, hem and hood
Branded Porka Parka Pouch
Introducing the…….
October 13, 2013
During the summer I was involved in a project for Kevin McClouds Manmade Home, broadcast by Optomen Television for Channel four. This involved research and experimentation both at home in Swansea and away, on location in the small town of Watchet, Somerset. We were fortunate to have glorious weather, and I enjoyed working with Kevin, Will and the team at Optomen greatly.
Apart from being lots of fun, (I did get involved in more than I bargained for), the project had a serious underlying message about sustainability, ethical textile practice and the value of traditional making skills in contemporary practice.
These are all aspects which I am hugely concerned with in my own practice and so the project was extremely appealing to me.
Without wanting to reveal too much (the episode has not yet been aired), below are a couple of onsite photographs of the initial consultation between Kevin McCloud and myself. I’ll reveal more about the processes and product after the episode has been released this evening. 
Thought it was about time I started sharing information about the projects I am involved in, the things that interest me, and the ideas I have.
Included here are images of my recent work from the group exhibition Everyone Everything held at the Ragged School, Swansea, South Wales
My instillation included a collection of material studies, alongside found objects, reclaimed materials, images and text, which were intended to create a narrative about some of the processes involved in making a piece of work.
This enabled me to extend my experience of working with unconventional materials, as well as to explore ideas related to ethical textile practice and sustainability, which were pertinent to both to this project and my own practice.
Shellie Holden 