We asked Kathrina to share with us a little bit about an art project she has been involved with since March of this year:
“Weaving Time & Place is an ongoing art project engaging participants in Naas Day Centre (NDC) with artists Kathrina Hughes and Mary O’Rourke. The project it using weaving and conversation as a means to connect with participants while exploring weaving as an art form.
This art project is aimed at bringing past and future together in a sense of place in particular, how we nourish our communities, our place, the community that has been and has made the community today.
The inspiration for this project emerged from a discussion during a creative session with Kathrina and participants of NDC. Participants began to reminisce on their time working in the Cotton Mills of Naas (1939 – 1970) which was a major employer in Naas town and the surrounding areas. It was also a huge employer of local people; many participants from Naas Day Centre worked there from a very young age. Employment here played a a significant role in many lives and the livelihood of the town. During this arts project we are spending time learning the skills of weaving and spinning while sharing memories and stories from past times. Rediscovering connections to one another and our community from the past and in the present has added an extra dimension to the creative process of weaving.
Not only this, but the creative process has instilled a newfound sense of pride and joy amongst the participants. Spinning and weaving are not easy skills to master, but week by week, through determination to learn and improve, participants are gaining confidence in their creativity. Sparking memories through the sound of the loom and and smell of the wool, stories which may have been long forgotten are uncovered and shared to the delight of all. It sounds idyllic, but listening alone can make all the difference in a person’s life. Combine this with the creation of a personal woven piece makes for a wonderful occasion every week!”
Well done Kathrina – wishing you every success with the project which continues until October.