2021 in Review

 I have found over the years that stopping to reflect on the year that passed; and pausing to consider the work I have made is a really helpful reminder and record.  Especially now when time has become such a strange concept;  seemingly elastic and shape-shifting.

I admit that Covid has left me often unmoored with regards time; the markers I can usually pin things down to have moved, disappeared, or happened at unusual times, and I have had to work hard to recall what work was made this year rather than last.  But I did and I enjoyed it as ever - it felt like greeting some long lost friends as I went along the way!

Here are my Top 10 things I made this year - things that I love, things I am proud of, things that make me smile, things that matter to me and things  I am simply happy to have out in the world. They appear alphabetically rather than in any order of merit.

1. The Angels

This commission made me smile.  I love the nod to old fashioned peg dolls; I love how they link to friendships and I was really happy that each piece ended up being individual.  Another one is underway to acknowledge the latest member of the team.  For some of the drama in the making see here.

2. Feminist Postcards

I love these cards. Such small yet powerful reminders of our need for change. Siblings to my larger posters, they gathered together really well in this set of 7. I wrote about them here.

3. For Mary

As part of a beautiful birthday commission for a friend.  This wee book offers reminders of home; and offers words of remembering too. It was such an honour...

4. Friendship Unfurls

The Red Thread exhibition offered me so many opportunities to play with notions of female friends; holding and connecting.  This wee book, in combination with Barry, was an absolute favourite. It sat so well in the hand; it gently unfurled and you could pop it in your pocket and carry it with you. It now lives at the home of a friend. 

5. Hear Me Roar

After having made my individual feminist posters through the year; I brought them all together in a book, which makes quite the statement.  It feels good to have them all together, bravely and boldly telling it how it is.

6. Llorac

The companion piece to the book at number 2; this beautiful work formed part of the birthday commission.  It spoke to the heart and was welcomed with love. Such a lovely lovely thing to have been  part of.

7. Morningtide

It's funny how some thighs are lovely, yet never really get loved.  I really enjoyed making this series of works. There are 42 in the series and they bring together crisp and beautiful digital printing with hand set traditional letterpress. I like the combo and I like the images and the words and yet they don't seem to resonate with too many other folk! 

8. Old Friends

This is the piece that got me kick-started and headed in a good direction for The Red Thread.  The story of the returned rusty tin is here and I once more offer my gratitude to Pauline Prior-Pitt who generously loaned me her words. 

9. Ongoing Friendship

Another of my Red Thread works - I love the possibility of a continuing and shared story between friends with these unbound books.

10. Pocket Book

A sibling to my original poster Pockets are Political, I love this book. It is a slim volume packed with good thoughts about pockets and women's clothes and has always got a lot of nods of recognition as women read it.

Thanks as ever for coming along on the ride looking back over the year that was. It helped me remember that there were many beautiful things and moments of magic and that there will be again. 

An honourable mention must got to my Covid hankies.  They are not yet complete and so I will roll them over into 2022; but I must say they occupied an enormous amount of time and thinking this year and I do love them so.