Summer should be upon us, but we, like most of Europe are in the doldrums. Not just because the sun isn't shining as much as we'd like, but also because of the unsettled times ahead. For the time being however lets pretend it's business as usual. We are half way through our 2016 workshops (our last was another super Silver Yoga led by our flexible soeur , Lizi Bolton), and with a quiet couple of months in store we are looking forward to Celia Pym's Knitting, Darning and Mending from the 21st-27th September.
Celia Pym is a leading London-based artist, knitter and darner specialising in visible repairs - she quite literally celebrates 'wear and tear.' “I love seeing damage and holes,” Celia says. “Making mending invisible doesn’t make sense to me: things happen, stuff changes, holes appear. Let the darning grow into the old bit so that the garment can be seen to change and age.” Having trained as an artist with a background in sculpture, she learnt embroidery, tapestry, silk painting and other textile techniques as a teenager. “I use textiles because I love the way they feel,” she says. “I love the repetitive processes involved, the way colour works, and that colour can be a thing, a line of yarn, a block of cross-stitch, a ball of wool. I also use textiles because they lend themselves to pattern making: in the construction of knit or cross-stitch or darning, there are grids and rows that link together, and you have to teach your hands to relax, to settle, to lead the making."
Celia has exhibited at the Royal College of Art in London and beyond, but it was an old jumper originally belonging to her great-uncle that sparked Celia’s interest in repairs and darning. “I was overwhelmed by the care invested by my aunt in mending his sweaters, and the way the different bits of mending looked together, how the holes gave clues as to how the sweater was used.”
If you share Celia's passion for much used and loved clothing and textiles, we still have a couple of places available on her workshop and we would be delighted if you could join us at what is a particularly beautiful time of year for these parts. With the kids' holidays over, fares cheaper and the general atmosphere much more relaxed and inspirational whilst still buzzing with brocantes and marchés it's the perfect time of year. For those of you visiting from afar who can squeeze in a few more extra days, we are hosting another wonderful Gigspanner Concert on Friday, 18th September, just days before Celia's workshop. Staying here you will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with Steeleye Span's fiddler, Peter Knight, his musicians Roger Flack and Vincent Salzfaas. Bring a partner and we'll give you a special deal. For more information we recommend you take a minute to watch the video below to the very end - it just gets better and better. Gigspanner were invited by BBC Radio 3 to perform at the Shakespeare 400 Celebrations in Stratford-upon-Avon as part of the ‘Shakespeare and Music’ concert, highlighting Peter's virtuoso fiddling as well as the superb guitar work and Afro-percussion from Roger and Vincent. Tickets can be bought on-line below.
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