Echoes of Memories

On the very last day of our trip to Australia last year, in fact on the way to the airport, we visited an art gallery, and to the bemusement of my husband and son, I bought this:

It's a beautiful rusty music stave that looks a bit like barbed wire.  Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

I could see it as part of a textile piece although I had no idea what.

Several months on I was discussing with a friend that ideas could come out of anywhere.  On my way home I turned on the radio and one of my favourite pieces of music was playing: Capriccio Italien. 

 

In my 40s I remember telling my mother for the first time how much I loved this piece of music. She was greatly surprised and told me about a popular song in August 1949 that the nurses were singing in the days around and after my birth.  It was The Echo Told Me a Lie. 

I started looking at the histories of these two pieces of music.  It turns out that Tchaikovsky was in Italy and heard a folk tune he really liked and put it into his composition.

The folk song's chorus has these words:
Pretty girl with a blonde braid,
young men make rounds for you. 

Neither dad wants nor mom does
how shall we make love?
Neither dad wants nor mom does
how shall we make love? 

Fortunately for us all, the 1949 adaptation only took the tune, not the words.  And so we come to the song The Echo Told Me a Lie.

You might be wondering by now, when am I going to get to the textile!

Now!

I decided I would write my history with these pieces of music onto calico with a marker pen.  I also used a thermofax screen of music notes to print with.  Then, as ever, I cut up the fabric.  I cut it into small squares and then pieced them back together randomly.

So here it is: Distant Echoes: The Fabric of Memory

What is your favourtie piece of classical music?

Thanks for being here today
Bernice 

Controversial, maybe?

I know the use of AI is a very controversial area.  Love it or hate it, it's here to stay.  In my opinion it can be a a useful tool.  It depends on how you use it.  If someone asks AI to write their essay for them then that's a poor choice by them.  If someone uses AI to help with the research for the essay and then writes the essay themselves then that's a good use of AI.

I have found a really useful site called ArtHelper.   It can be quite an amazing help in making suggestions for titles of artwork or social media posts.  In fact it currently has 37 different functions you can use.  I put this photo into ArtHelper and asked it for an Artwork Analysis.

I didn't write anything or tell the App what this textile piece is about and this is what it came up with:

Visual Elements:
• The repeated portrait of a person wearing a mask immediately evokes themes of the pandemic, healthcare, and emotional suppression.
• Each mask is inscribed with a different word: “depressed,” “anxious,” “abused,” “in pain,” “stressed,” “grieving,” “sad,” “hurting,” and “tired.”
• The monochromatic palette and rough, textured background reinforce a sense of heaviness and emotional weight.

Themes & Interpretation:
• Mental Health & Hidden Struggles: The use of masks with emotional words suggests the hidden pain people carry, especially during challenging times.
• Repetition: The grid format and repeated face highlight the universality of these feelings—many people experience these emotions, often silently.
• Pandemic Reference: The mask is a clear nod to COVID-19, but it also symbolizes how people “mask” their true feelings. 

Whilst the picture was drawn during the pandemic, that's really the only link to Covid.  If you've read my previous post you will know it's about hiding how we are truly feeling behind the words: 'I'm Fine'.

Still not telling ArtHelper anything about the piece I asked for a blog post.  Usually I wouldn't ask for that because I like to write my own but for the sake of experimentation I gave it a try.  To be honest I am overwhelmed by what the AI saw.  It's one thing for AI to trawl the internet to find facts and references for a research topic and something quite different when it comes up with this: 

At first glance, the monochromatic palette evokes a sense of sombreness, setting the stage for the raw emotions depicted. Each face, adorned with a mask, serves as a powerful metaphor for the ways we often conceal our true feelings from the world. The masks symbolize not just physical protection but also the emotional barriers we erect to shield ourselves from vulnerability.

The words inscribed on each mask -“depressed,” “anxious,” “in pain,” “stressed,” “abused,” “grieving,” “sad,” “hurting,” and “tired” - speak volumes. They are not just labels; they are cries for understanding and connection. In a society that often stigmatizes mental health struggles, this artwork invites viewers to confront these emotions head-on, fostering a dialogue about the importance of acknowledging and expressing our inner turmoil.

The repetition of the faces creates a rhythm that mirrors the cyclical nature of these feelings. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles; many share similar experiences, often hidden beneath the surface. This collective acknowledgment can be a powerful catalyst for healing, encouraging us to reach out, share our stories, and support one another.

This is only a part of what was written, but can you see why I am overwhelmed.  AI saw in the piece everything I wanted to say but probably wouldn't have been able to write myself.

Thanks for joining me today.
'Stunned of Solihull'
aka Bernice

I'm fine

When you are asked how you are, what do you answer?  Most people I think answer - I'm fine - whether they are or not.  We might be feeling all sorts of different things but cover it up with 'I'm fine'.

My latest textile hanging is based on this.  During lockdown a friend of mine drew a picture of me wearing a mask.  I don't usually put people in my work whether it's art journaling, textiles or photography, so it's been quite challenging to use this picture.

I had a Thermofax screen made of it and inspired by Andy Warhol, I printed the image 9 times through organza onto calico.

 This week I brushed dye over the images leaving the masks undyed.

 

 

I sorted out 9 words that people might be feeling not fine behind the 'I'm fine'. 

 

 

And now I am hand stitching each of the words, having hand written the words on the masks.  I'm thinking of putting a layer of organza over the mask in each image - see the top left of the above image.  Cut to the shape of the mask obviously!

Recently on Instagram I saw this:
'In Norway 'up & not crying' is a standard response to 'how are you' - and I think that's a very reasonable standard to hold oneself to these days.'

More than this though, I think we need to be more honest about ourselves.  And okay, don't pour out emtions on passing acquaintances, but it's important to have a few around us who we trust and we can be honest with.

In return, we need to be good listeners and readers of body language.  When we ask the question are we prepared for an answer that isn't I'm fine.

Why do we need to read body language?  Because we need to hear what isn't being said.   And we need to be willing to give the time to listen.

Thanks for being here today.  I hope you are more than just 'fine'.
Bernice