11:27 2021 17:59
EDUCATION
Sewing and thread work brings with it the power to tell stories, elicit emotion, positively influence mental health and bring joyous satisfaction to its creator. Sara Whatley spools out a tapestry and embroidery yarn
S
ewing is a great storyteller. From the huge wall hangings which adorned the houses of the upper classes in the great tapestry period from the mid 14th century to the end of the 18th century, to modern tapestries hanging in galleries for all to enjoy today. The intricate scenes may have shifted towards a more abstract and loose form, incorporating different textiles and techniques for example, but the storytelling never stops.
Across centuries, countries and cultures, tapestry has been used as an expressive art form, decorating walls and also having the practical element of being a fabulous draft excluder in those drafty old castles! It is also used to explore ideas of spirituality, identity, sexuality and political issues. Tapestry is one of the oldest forms of woven textile and yet contemporary artists, such as Grayson
Tapestry is used to explore ideas of spirituality, identity, sexuality and political issues Perry, are still championing its power and pushing the boundaries of this traditional medium. “There has been a shift recently in the artist and craftsman hierarchy,” said Anthea Godfrey,
Artistic Director of the Embroiderers Guild. She explained to me how in the past the artist, the one designing the tapestry, has always been at the top and the craftsman, the one actually making the tapestry, is unrecognised at the bottom. “Now we have artist-makers, incorporating both skills into one title,” she said. Although it is still rare that artists know how to weave a tapestry also, as Anthea told me, it takes 10 years of training to teach a weaver. In its truest sense tapestry is a form of woven textile using yarn on a loom, but over the years the word ‘tapestry’
March 2022 | SUSSEX LIVING 25
