Kirsty Whitlock was the speaker at our open meeting this month and her talk was entitled “My journey through stitch”. Her interest in stitch started when she followed an NVQ in Art & Design at school and then she went on to DeMontfort University. Encouraged by tutors there were many opportunities to experiment with a variety of techniques and paper became her favourite material. In an attempt to keep costs to a minimum she used found papers and experimented with various types of vinegar and rusting. An amusing project involved leaving paper in a cage with a gerbil to see its teeth marks in the paper. Kirsty left university with a first class honours degree and now uses current affairs for inspiration with recycled and discarded materials.
In 2009 Kirsty was selected for the Graduate Showcase for the Embroiderers Guild and exhibited at Dublin and Harrogate. In 2012 she was awarded an Embroiderers’ Guild Scholarship and visited schools to talk about her work. On an Enterprise programme she was able to fund a Bernina sewing machine and got help with accommodation and setting up as self employed.
Kirsty showed us a selection of her work explaining the story behind the projects, how she uses 3D and how the loose threads have now become her signature mark. The full size “Meltdown Misery” is a mixture of photography and stitch and was inspired by the falling stock market at the time of the recession.
It is important to Kirsty to continue pushing the boundaries in all her work and encouraging young people by ensuring her skills are passed to the next generation.
It is important to Kirsty to continue pushing the boundaries in all her work and encouraging young people by ensuring her skills are passed to the next generation.
In addition to the talk members enjoyed cakes for tea, the “work in progress” table and a visit from embroidery supplier “Gillsew”.
Report by Ros