Garlands

I was passing through Lincolnshire at the weekend so called in a the Hub (http://www.thehubcentre.info). Up and down the staircases were a vertical paper garden/ garlands constructed by recent graduate Suzie McLaughlin. They worked effectively at bringing the outside in. I have been garland making too, making work for my exhibition later in the year in response to the maidens garlands in Yorkshire. I notice Suzie's were laser cut and stapled but mine are of course hand stitched and each flower is unique. I am using all sorts of papers eg. an old copy of Tennyson's "In Memoriam ", original Victorian letters . I am making one big garland to hang in the church and then an individual flower for each of my maidens.

Anyway here is Suzie's work

and here is mine

The hairy bits are sheep wool picked up from the graveyard where the girls are buried.

Maidens Garlands

I am at the research and development stage of a new body of work which is inspired by the maidens garlands at Old St Stephens Church, Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. The church which was built in 1822 stands on a hillside overlooking Robin Hoods Bay.

Maidens garlands, which are very rare, were carried in the funeral procession of a maiden.

I will be showing my responses to the maidens garlands over the August Bank Holiday weekend 2011.

I will document the process through a new blog "Memento Mori" at http://mandypattullo.blogspot.com. I will also use this blog to archive other work I've done on these themes. Don't look just yet though as I haven't had time to put anything on it!

Here is the beautiful church . Read more about it at www.visitchurchesorg.uk

Here are the 4 maidens garlands which are housed in a locked atrium within the church

More detailed views showing the ribbons hanging down

More information on the garlands and the pieces I am working on coming soon