Working with your hands in a group setting can allow conversation to flow in a relaxed way, even when the subject matter is challenging. Perhaps even more so when working with textiles – you are engaging a part of the mind that responds to the haptic – the feel of the texture, a softness or roughness of the different textiles as you work with them.
The artwork in this exhibition was created by artists who attend Make Create, a weekly drop-in group run in the Bethlem Gallery studio. The focus in the sessions is slow working using textiles, often reusing found or donated materials.
‘Woven Together’ is composed of work on a variety themes – from inspiration found on the beautiful grounds at the Bethlem Hospital, where the Gallery is based, to the transformative nature of a garment, or our association with textiles and care. The title reflects the importance of having a space for the artists to create along side each other.