Morwenna divides her time between teaching, making carnival masks and costumes, and developing her current themes in textile art.
She showed us examples of her earlier work, including "Handbags for Nuns", which caused much hilarity, before moving onto more current pieces from her Sweethearts and Sandbags installation. This piece is based on the familiar WWI Sweetheart Cushions; Morwenna's are in the form of large commemorative pieces, which when on display are hung from the ceiling on parachute straps, with parachute cords hanging from the bottom.
One tells the story of her grandfather and is constructed partly from army serge.
Another has a pattern formed from the outlines of toy plastic soldiers.
"Bullet holes" are made from applied velvet patches and buttons, with red threads representing blood.
Finally Morwenna showed us a cushion which bore the names of all of the soldiers who had been "Shot at Dawn" for crimes including desertion, assaulting an officer, and cowardice, as well as other criminal offences such as murder.
Morwenna's current body of work is entitled "Augury" which is the interpretation of the future, based on the behaviour of animals and birds.
Disappointingly Morwenna didn't bring the Fertility Bird with nipple tassels and testicle pom-poms, however she did bring one of her birds, and one animal, which are fantasy creatures partly constructed from pieces of fur recovered by her partner from road-kill (unbelievably, Morwenna is a vegetarian!)
The bird is wearing a hood and is standing on a stitched felt box.
Last, but most certainly not least, Morwenna displayed a life-size model of a Shaman whose costume is based on the epic poem
"The Lady of Shallott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
After hearing about Morwenna's fascinating textile journey (if you would like to know more, she has a website http://www.morwennacattart.moonfruit.com) - we had chance to admire the progress made on members' animal quilts, started at the Mandy Pattullo workshop last month.
Vanessa's Stag in a Trance
Jan's Running Hare
Jayne B's not-quite-finished Stag
Wyn's Now-more-a-Hare-than-a-Donkey
Jo's Exuberant Hare
Anne's Hare (I think he's on the same exercise regime as me!)
*For other finished animals, see earlier posts
What a lovely surprise to find this blog post. Morwenna certainly produces some different and interesting work. Mandy Pattullo is admired by lots of the members of the Worcester branch of the Guild and several have been on courses with her.
ReplyDeleteThanks Hazel - I was very sad to have to miss the Mandy Pattullo workshop as I was away at a wedding but I have been looking to see where I might catch one locally! Mandy
DeleteIt was lovely to meet you all. Thank you so much for your hospitality. I loved the hares too x
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