Small World (XII)

As with all art, take care of it to keep it in top condition:

• Hang it out of direct sunlight 
• Avoid hanging above direct heat sources such as a fireplace or radiator
• Keep the frame clean, by dusting it regularly with a soft duster, to avoid accumulations of dust which may damange the work
• Keep information about the work (artist, signature, date etc - all included on back of each work and on back of frame) with the work.
• Avoid hanging in dirty or steam filled areas such as garages, kitchens or bathrooms as dust, steam and grease will damage the work.
• wrap the frame well when transporting it, using heavy cardboard on the front and back.

When I first returned to textile art, I was so tied up with personal grief, with day to day survival, with hospital visits, medication, nurses, doctors, and the monotony of being a carer, that I couldn't think beyond the confines of small squares.  I started to sew little pieces - pieces that I could finish in a short time, that were easy to pick up and put down, that were transportable to chemotherapy wards, that were meditative and calming.  They reflect the isolation and confinement that being in such a space commands.  They reflect the tiny little corners of my mind that could still be creative.  

From time to time I return to these small meditative works; when I'm feeling low, or need a break from the bigger things,  or when I just want to produce something less soul searching and more decorative.  The series is ongoing, and will no doubt become  unweildy at some point!