Lockdown Collaboration - 9 works

During lockdown I collaborated with an OCA student who was doing photography. Richard Dalgleish had researched a family member who fought in the Crimean War and died aged 27. Bartholomew Heron (1831 - 1858) was a baker by trade but tragically died very young. Richard's collaboration is called '9 works' with 3 pieces of collaboration and 3 final pieces of work. My textile piece was carefully researched with Richard to show the places Bartholomew had visited in his short life. I hand stitched my interpretation of what I think Ann Heron, Bartholomew's mother would have stitched in memory of her son.

The finished piece is approximately 30 x 48 cm. Single strand brown embroidery thread on a vintage linen table runner edged with cotton lace. Inktense pencils in light blue and yellow, the 2 colours of the Crimea war medal ribbon were used to outline the countries. The vintage linen had natural age stains.

On sending the finished piece to Richard, his comments were:

"The piece exceeds what I imagined. I am transported back to Ann, Bartholomew's mother, sitting by the open fire by candlelight, sewing this, maybe with a tear in her eye and her thoughts on Bartholomew as a boy."

"Am struck by the emotion of your work, bringing out some of what we can only imagine about Ann since I know so little of her.....I can only imagine the grief Ann felt, giving way to pride but always tinged with sadness"