I can’t believe yet another year has rolled around and we are now heading into 2025! I was looking back through my photos and realised how many lovely things I’ve done and made this year. I also realised that I haven’t posted here on my blog for ages so I wanted to do my usual annual round up as I find it really helps me recognise my achievements and focus on my goals for the new year.
The highlight of my year had to be winning the visitor’s choice award for my ‘Visions of Paris’ competition entry. It was amazing to see my work displayed in such a public space, and to know that it was then going to go on and be displayed at further events throughout the year. My croissant still hasn’t come home but I’m hoping to see it soon! Receiving this award really gave me an artistic confidence boost and spurred me on to keep extending my creative practice as the year went on.
My most ambitious piece was definitely the birthday cake. I originally made it to be entered into the Hand and Lock Prize. Sadly it didn’t get further than the first round of judging, although I wasn’t expecting it to. My work’s aesthetic doesn’t really align with the usual style of work that is chosen for the prize! However, I am glad I entered as it was good practice at working towards a brief and to a deadline. The cake itself was quite challenging for me to make as I have never made anything as big and with so many parts before. It is also my first sculptural piece that stands alone, rather than being in a frame. I think I prefer to frame my work, but it has sparked a few ideas for further soft sculptures in the future.
Over the summer I didn’t make much at all. I was a bit creatively exhausted from the cake making, so, whilst watching the Olympics on the TV, I made a few smaller pieces. I really enjoyed stitching these. They were made with more traditional raised embroidery methods and were completed in less than a day. I will definitely be designing more of these small pieces as ready-to-go projects for when I am in need of a quick stitch in between larger projects!
The last major project that I’ve completed this year is my fry up. I have actually been making the components for this piece since the end of 2023, but at last they have all come together on the plate! It was fun to create all these very different pieces; the hash browns in particular really challenged my construction skills, and the plate was quite tricky. However, the part that was the most interesting were the beans. I made them as beads using polymer clay and then poured resin over the top to get the saucy look. Introducing mixed media to my work was quite exciting and I will definitely be looking to do it again if it suits the project. The most exciting part about this piece is that it will be included in the Broderer’s Exhibition at the Bankside Gallery in London from 25th February to 2nd March.
I also did some brilliant workshops and events this year that kept my creative juices flowing and made me feel inspired. Craftcation in California was super fun and great to catch up with other creatives I’d met the year before and make more new friends. Doing something everyday of London Craft Week was ambitious and quite tiring, but I will definitely be checking out the schedule for 2025 to see if I can repeat the experience. The two day passementerie course I did in the summer at West Dean’s London campus with Elizabeth Ashdown was full of creativity and joy. And of course I did two terms on the Advanced Textiles course at Morley College, which is a wonderful place not only to learn new skills, but also to spend time with likeminded textile enthusiasts. I haven’t currently got any courses or workshops booked for 2025 but I am definitely going to be keeping an eye out for new things to try.
Coming up in 2025 I already have a couple of projects underway that I will be completing in the first few months. In addition to my fry up being included in the Broderer’s Exhibition, I will also be taking part in a group exhibition at the Morley Gallery alongside some of my Morley alumni at the beginning of March. I am also working on a big project which I intend to enter into the National Embroidery Awards, but as per the rules for entry it’s not allowed to be shown on social media before the judging, which is making it tricky to post anything on Instagram at the moment! I’m looking forward to seeing what else the new year will bring and wishing everyone a very happy and peaceful 2025!