13 Mar 2013
The Manchester School of Art girls have each made a flower too.
My colleague Dr Nigel Hurlstone, Senior Lecturer in Embroidery at Manchester, arrived unexpectedly. He was on his way to Paris to a textile fair but his Eurostar was cancelled because of the snow.
I have made a frill of lace as a frame around the edge. It is reminiscent of the collars in the portraits, though laser cut and painted gold. The work has become a strange ornamental flowerbed of curious forms and medallions. I have never made a work so decorative or floral.
The little flowers scattered on the floor link with those in the portrait, the wind has apparently blown them to the ground.
Amy Miller has helped to attach the flowers to the piece and Melanie has cut more flowers. Christine, Head of the Arts at the Museum, has come and encouraged. Everyone has helped.
I looked at the Flower Bed and it seemed curious and glowing, different and yet of course as I had imagined in my mind. I wanted to make a work that is magical but intriguing, familiar and unexpected. I hope I have.
Nicola Yates the textile conservator came with her assistant and placed a protective sheet at the base of the Flower Bed to protect it from the floor. Last week we visited her in the textile studio where she is restoring a painted banner of Nelson. Incredible painstaking work.
In the fireplace we have placed flowers made by Victoria Brown and her students from University of Chichester. Later urns will be placed amongst them for flowers made through public engagement projects.
Louise Simkiss and Amy Miller have chosen other works of mine to go to the Knitting and Stitching show at Olympia which opens on Thursday.
Meanwhile the Manchester girls have spent all day measuring and cutting thread to make the huge flower installation for the Tulip Stairs. This has been an incredible piece to make. It has formed itself and evolved through the contributions from others. Originally I asked the lace experts Gail Baxter and Carol Quarini for help. They gave up four days to come and advise and help me. They suggested I ask on Facebook for working contributions, so I did thinking maybe four or five people might answer. Instead I have had around 80. I have sent each a package to make small white flower heads based on ‘Queen Anne’s lace’. I have had hundreds of flowers returned which have been put together over the last few weeks. The girls and the wonderful Emma have worked out a system for hanging. Tomorrow [Wednesday 13 March] we shall raise this work up to its full height of 12 metres from the ground."
- Alice Kettle