People from around the world are being invited to stitch a flying acorn as part of a project to create a magnificent cape to celebrate hope, courage and creativity.
The campaign, which officially launches this week, is especially significant to textile artist Louise Gardiner as she was diagnosed with Stage 4 clear cell ovarian cancer after being commissioned.
Louise, from Bristol has been asked by the Marchmont House in the Scottish Borders, to create The Cape of Creative Courage alongside an exhibition of flying acorns contributed by stitchers from the UK and overseas.
The flying acorn is the symbol of Marchmont House, a 1750s Palladian mansion near Greenlaw that is now a home for artists and makers, and is highly symbolic.
Louise said: “It’s a project about hope, courage, strength and all the qualities that we associate with the acorns and oak trees.
“It’s also about inspiration that grows from a tiny seed, about finding the courage to start something new, finding your creative voice and connecting to the community”
Previous projects have seen Louise bring together people from as far as the USA, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong to contribute embroidered artworks to her capes – many of whom also send letters sharing their stories and experiences.
In this case her own situation sums up the nature of the project.
Louise said: “The cape is incredibly relevant to me now. Hugo commissioned me some time ago, six months later I was diagnosed with cancer which rather put a halt to any progress.
“It was all looking incredibly bleak until I found an immunotherapy trial for women with clear cell ovarian cancer which has so far, saved my life. It’s shrunk the cancer all over my body. It lasts 18 months and there are six months to go.
“I’ve also been doing a lot for myself. I’ve been continuing to use my own creativity and intuition to get through what has been an incredibly frightening rollercoaster ride. It’s been a gargantuan challenge.
“I’ve had lots of symptomatic problems, one of the main things being fatigue, which is something I’m fighting with every day. So I’m going to be doing this with all my strength and courage – inspired all the way by the Oak and Acorn stories.
“And now I’m basically calling in a wonderful, loving army of helpers to rally me on and help me create the cloak.”
Louise hopes that people will send letters, write poetry or share photos that explain their stories of healing and courage, to go alongside their flying acorns.
As part of the project Louise is being supported by the Marchmont Makers Foundation to work with charities such as Garvald in Edinburgh and ReTweed in the Borders to lead in-person sessions showing people how to make acorns and passing on some of her skills.
There has already been a session with a group of around a dozen from ReTweed, which is based in Eyemouth and works with women from across the Borders to use stitching to build their confidence, increase their skills and pave the way to new interests, activities and careers.
Nicky Francey, ReTweed Chief Officer, said: “This is a wonderful project, so much in tune with what we are here for, it’s about exploring creativity and how it can bring people together. There is a very strong link between creativity and courage.
“The group learned new techniques and contributed to something very beautiful and very powerful.”
“It’s a magical moment when people start putting fabrics and colours together and see the possibilities.”
Lucy Brown, CEO of Marchmont Makers Foundation, added: “Louise’s creative energy is the driving force behind this commission for Marchmont and the Marchmont Makers Foundation are delighted to help bring that energy to our local community here in the Scottish Borders as well as engaging with social enterprise groups who share our approach to nurturing creativity.”
Due for completion next spring it is hoped the Cape of Creative Courage and accompanying acorn exhibition will go on tour.
If you would like to contribute
Instagram: @lou_gardiner_embroidery
Facebook: @Louisegardinerembroidery
Twitter: @loulougardiner
#acornarmy
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Notes for Editors
- For more about ReTweed see https://www.retweed.com.
- For more about Garvald see http://www.garvaldedinburgh.org.uk.
About Louise Gardiner
Louise is unique British designer-maker from Styal, Cheshire but now lives in Bristol. From embroidered illustrations, to large-scale artworks and commemorative capes, Louise’s dynamic embroideries showcase the highest levels of craft and technique. Layering appliqué, inks and paints with intense stitching and hand-sewn beads, the works shimmer with magical depth and catch the changing light. Every piece is meticulously made, labour-intensive and energetic.
She has pioneered this unique practice since graduating with a BA Hons in Fine Art Textiles at Goldsmiths, London University in 1996 and with an Illustration MA in 2004 from Manchester Metropolitan University. Since, Louise has maintained a full-time studio practice, employing and training work experience students and promoting contemporary embroidery in many unusual channels such as television, radio and advertising.
Parallel to a rich portfolio of commissioned work Louise has also designed and developed a range of British high end products in silk and velvet including large silk scarves, kimono-style jackets and hand-made velvet furniture. All the products are made by British manufacturers and kept as local to Louise’s studio as possible.
Louise remains a passionate and energetic ambassador of stitch and individual creativity. Contemporary embroidery is an exciting medium, with endless possibilities and she has shared her techniques in talks and workshops in India, France, NZ and Australia. Her energetic approach blows the cobwebs off this under-rated craft and she has proved that intricate handmade textiles can inspire a surprisingly thoughtful and intense response from an extremely varied audience and she continues to promote the versatility and beauty of contemporary embroidery through lively social media content, talks and international workshops.
Louise is currently working on an ambitious campaign with Marchmont House to celebrate creativity, nature and to promote British makers called ‘The Cape of Creative Purpose’.
About Marchmont
- Marchmont House is a 1750 Palladian mansion near Greenlaw in the Scottish Borders.
- It was awarded the 2018 Historic Houses/Sotheby’s Award following a seven-year restoration, which was described by the jury as “stunning”.
- The house has one of the finest Georgian and Arts & Crafts interiors in Scotland.
- It is open to the public for a limited number of days each year, for tours and special events.
- The Marchmont team is dedicated to bringing the house alive as a home for makers and creators, celebrating innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship
- The Creative Spaces project is entirely privately funded by Marchmont Farms Limited and has not called on grants from the public sector or charities – which are facing immense demands for their limited resources.
- The studios and workshops have been created by the conversion of a series of 19th-century outbuildings round a courtyard near the house and its spectacular walled garden.
- The project’s value has already been demonstrated by the establishing of The Marchmont Workshop, which has saved the great 19th-century tradition of Arts & Crafts rush seated ladder back chairs for a new chapter in the Scottish Borders.
- Visit www.marchmonthouse.com for more information.
- For information about The Marchmont Workshop see https://themarchmontworkshop.com.
About Marchmont Makers Foundation
- The foundation makes grants, donations and gifts to individuals and organisations who share its ambitions.
- The key focus areas for supporting artists are:
- funded residencies in the creative spaces.
- Providing opportunities/places to nurture creativity in the local community including garden/environmental/work spaces/organisations
- Enabling access to creative opportunities that would not otherwise happen.
- The foundation has developed partnerships with Visual Arts Scotland and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland amongst others, but is keen to establish links with charities using creativity to further their cause within the Scottish Borders and beyond, welcoming approaches from like-minded organisations.
- Marchmont Makers Foundation is a registered charity No. SC048981 – v124
- See https://marchmontmakers.org
For media information contact Matthew Shelley at [email protected] or 07786 704299.