Bradford School of Arts and Media   2010/2011

Lorna Jewitt

I have been interested in – at times possibly obsessed with! – the image of the ubiquitous, but anonymous, 'lady-in-the-crinoline' that was so often seen in one form or another, adorning various domestic wares in countless homes around Britain. Such embroidery was originally sewn for quite trivial use in the home - as tray cloths, table runners, anti-macassars, etc. Initially making reference to an era of quiet suburban gentility, I embroidered small -scale pieces that explored the urge to subvert some of those, very naïve, images of the lady-in-the-crinoline. Using original 'iron-on' transfers, I altered or adapted typical scenes, often adding text. I was also concerned with more serious issues that were perhaps shared with, but largely unspoken about by the original makers, often the 'housewives' of the 1940's and 50's. Issues around drug misuse, abuse, pregnancy – issues not traditionally explored through embroidery. All of this has led me to want to further explore the original image, to focus on making pieces on a much larger scale, to look in more detail at this romanticised 1940's version of an anonymous mid-Victorian woman and what she came to represent. I would particularly like to combine print with embroidery – although I have my own studio space I do not have screen printing facilities. Similarly, to explore the possibilities of laser cutting – the precision and accuracy of laser cut materials echoing neatly sewn stitches, the one removing parts of a surface, the other adding to it. My interest in the late Victorian and Edwardian era also continues. Initial work that referred to women like Edith Durham, whose interest in collecting textiles, as well as extensive travel, led me to a series of pieces for the 'Making Sense' exhibition at Bankfield. I would like to explore using original clothing - I'm interested in the perceived 'preciousness' of such old garments and the possibilities for altering or 'subverting' their associations with a specific era. I would simply hope to achieve a new body of work that allows a different focus on what has become an increasingly important enquiry for me. To have the opportunity to work alongside others who are similarly engaged in working through and developing ideas, to make new connections, would also be part of an extremely valuable experience.