ccunningham-woman
WOMAN
ccunningham-woman
Exploring natural states of being: fertility and menstruation ('Menstruation', 'Womb'), love and loss ('Grace', 'Mists of Time') my own experiences of breast cancer ('Lumpectomy', 'Mastectomy') with it's physical brutality and emotional aftermath, life cycles ('Three Ages of Woman') and family traditions ('Reducing Us to Simply a Heartbeat').
Original poetry captures the essence of emotion, hand embroidered in silk thread, providing the viewer insight into my own journey through life (see poetry page for full descriptive text).
Traditional techniques of applique, patchwork and quilting, embellished in beads, sequins and old jewellery, are combined with fabric manipulation, creating cavities within layered and padded structure.
Recycled materials include a rubber water bag from childhood camping trips ('Menstruation'), plastic netting from fruit ('Womb'), the underwire from a bra ('Lumpectomy') and layers of plastic and bubble wrap ('Mastectomy').
If you wish to purchase a Textile please contact me.
Click on images for detail.
MENSTRUATION
WOMB
Abstract design exploring the subject of fertility with the start of the menstrual cycle. Quilted patchwork panels created from recycled materials embellished in beads and sequins surround a rubber vagina endorsed in red sequins. Colour palette of mustard yellow, red, pink, purple and green. Textile wall hanging 32.5'' h x 26.5'' w x 3'' d (inches). £3,600.
The abstract vagina is created from a rubber water carrier, recycled from childhood camping trips. It's practical and non sexual design serves as an age appropriate body part for the onset of puberty. Adorned in red sequins and glass beads. Colour palette of mustard yellow, red and purple.
Example of quilted panel created from recycled materials adorned in lace, braid, beads and sequins. Colour palette of purple, charcoal, gold, blue, red and brown.
Example of quilted panel created from recycled materials embellished in beads, sequins and braid. Colour palette of red, green, purple, charcoal, gold and brown.
Example of quilted panel created from recycled materials embellished in large buttons, small beads, mesh and braid. Colour palette of pink and green.
GRACE
CANCER 1: LUMPECTOMY
Girl dressed in a traditional costume of the Downton Abbey era, created from recycled materials embellished in beads and sequins. Quilted patchwork, applique and dressmaking techniques in a colour palette of ivory, mustard, green, red, pink and brown. Original poetry captures the essence of the loss of a child, hand embroidered in silk threads. Textile wall hanging 43'' h x 33'' w x 2.5'' d (inches). £8,100.
Detail of the bonnet with original poetry hand embroidered in a green silk thread with detail of daisies. Recycled vintage fabric (cotton) and lace. Colour palette of white, yellow, stone, red, green and blue. Fabric manipulation technique of pleats and padded structure. Capturing the essence of a bygone era.
Detail of dress with apron overlay created using traditional dressmaking techniques with an inset sleeve, layered apron, volume within the dress with starched petticoats beneath. Adorned in heart sequins and hand embroidered kisses. Colour palette of ivory, red, blue and green. Recycled vintage fabrics.
Detail of the sculpted padded volume of the bonnet with original poetry hand embroidered in silk threads across the background, adorned in beads and sequins. Colour palette of ivory, red, green, blue and yellow. Recycled vintage fabrics include silk and cotton.
Detail of patchwork surround adorned in applique love hearts and sequins. Recycled materials include wool and silk. Colour palette of stone, pink, green, mustard yellow and brown. Detail of original poetry in a silk green embroidery thread.
Exploring the subject of breast cancer, capturing the physical and psychological impact of surgery. Original poetry captures the essence of my own experience. In a delicate colour palette of ivory, peach, silver, black, red and gold. The metal underwire from a bra represents the damaged breast. Textile wall hanging 51'' h x 34'' w x 2.5'' d (inches). £4,800.
Detail of 3D rose representing the undamaged breast. Created from layers of machined petals hand sculpted around a single bud with a black lace leaf detail. Recycled materials include lace and cotton. Colour palette of ivory, cream and black with pink sequin detail in the background.
Detail of absent breast. The underwire from a bra represents the damaged breast with the date of surgery hand embroidered in a blood red silk thread. Recycled background fabric (starched cotton) is threadbare in places, capturing the essence of trauma. Colour palette of ivory, silver - grey and blood red.
Detail of poetry capturing the essence of my own traumatic experience, hand embroidered in a pale blue silk embroidery thread. Pink sequins adorn the background which is naturally aged and torn, starched to strengthen and stitched to hold in place. Colour palette of ivory, pale blue, pale pink and black (underlay).
Detail of layered background fabrics. Recycled aged cotton is naturally torn and threadbare in places, starched for strength and stitched to hold in place, capturing the essence of trauma. Overlaid onto a black cotton and adorned in strips of gold and pale pink sequins stitched in a pale blue thread.
CANCER 2: MASTECTOMY
MISTS OF TIME
Exploring breast cancer through my own experience, capturing the essence of trauma in original poetry, hand embroidered in wool onto the padded body of the textile. Layers of bubble wrap and frayed fabrics were used to create the depth necessary in order to excavate the site for removal of the breast tissue. Textile wall hanging in a colour palette of yellow, cream, red and pink. 39'' h x 28'' w x 6'' d (inches). £6,000.
Detail of original poetry hand embroidered in a mustard yellow wool. Capturing the essence of my own personal experience of breast cancer and double mastectomy. The lettering has a free flowing rhythm, enriching the texture of the natural sheep's wool beneath.
Detail of padded layered panels created from recycled materials including chenille, Indian cotton, plastics, frayed organza, bubble wraps, wadding and sheep's wool. Adorned in ivory buttons and wool embroidery detail. Colour palette of gold, ivory, pinks, red, blue and mustard yellow.
Detail of the cavity created in the excavation of the padded structure. Layers of sheep's wool, wadding, gauze cotton, frayed organza and bubble wrap. Colour palette of ivory, pinks and red. The outer body, created from real sheep's wool sourced from The Yorkshire Moors, is pulled and manipulated, capturing the essence of physical and psychological trauma. The naturally frayed edges of organza and gauze further demonstrates our fragility of being.
Detail of original poetry hand embroidered in a mustard yellow wool. Capturing the loss of femininity and sexuality, begging the question, ''Am I sexy now?'' Colour palette of gold, ivory, pink, blue and mustard yellow. Structural depth is achieved in padded layers created from recycled sheep's wool, Indian cotton, cotton gauze, wadding and bubble wrap.
REDUCING US TO SIMPLY A HEARTBEAT
Textile applique panels exploring love and loss with original poetry embroidered in silk threads. Colour palette of gold, blue, brown, black, sand and cream. Embellished in buttons, beads and sequins. Textile wall hanging 51'' h x 37'' w x 3'' d (inches). £8,100.
Detail of quilted applique panels created from recycled materials (cotton, satin, wool, fleece, velvet and lace) embellished in buttons, sequins and braid. Original poetry captures the essence of love and loss, hand embroidered in silk threads. Colour palette of blues, grey, ivory, stone, gold, brown and black.
Detail of a rich blue sea panel embellished in original poetry hand embroidered in a silk ivory thread, capturing the essence of love and loss of past relationships. A natural rhythm within the hand embroidery embodies a tidal ebb and flow with crests of waves upon a distant sea.
Detail of padded sand panel created from recycled curtains from my childhood, the natural texture of crushed velvet embellished in light reflective sequins in a colour palette of silver, grey, blue, pewter, gold and brown.
Detail of flat ivory panel embellished in large recycled buttons. Colour palette of cream, ivory, gold, green and brown. Represents debris washed up on the shoreline, treasures I collected as a child. Surrounding panels include crushed gold velvet (sand), brown wool herringbone (wooden posts), black lace (seaweed) and a traditional striped white and navy braid.
Quilted applique patchwork panels created from recycled vintage fabrics embellished in beads, sequins and old jewels. The essence of a life lived is captured in original poetry, hand embroidered in silk threads. A rich colour palette of gold, ivory, red, blue, green, lavender and brown. Textures and patterns of a bygone age. Textile wall hanging 49'' h x 40'' w x 1'' d (inches). £8,100.
Detail of patchwork panels created from patterned vintage fabrics recycled from my childhood in a rich colour palette of gold, yellow, green and brown. Sequins, pearls and glass beads adorn patterned panels with original poetry capturing the essence of a rich and vibrant tapestry ('retreat back to much simpler times' with 'old love letters still to be enjoyed'), hand embroidered in silk threads.
Detail of patchwork panels created from recycled vintage fabrics in a rich colour palette of gold, lavender, rust, stone, red, green and blue. Patterned fabrics are enhanced with glass beads and mark making, with plain panels adorned in hand embroidery ('A rich and vibrant tapestry'), capturing the essence of traditional family values of a life lived.
Detail of patchwork panels in a traditional colour palette of gold, brown, blue, green, yellow, red and pink. Recycled vintage fabrics celebrate patterns of a bygone age, adorned in glass beads. Original poetry, capturing the essence of family values, adorn panels in silk thread ('the softest of lullabies').
Vintage gold jewel (generously donated from Mother) with elaborate detail adorns the intersection of a flowered patchwork panel (quilted in an orange thread to match design) with iridescent shell petals. Celebrating an era of quality and bespoke workmanship.
THREE AGES OF WOMAN
Capturing the essence of woman in quilted applique patchwork panels. Abstract pattern presents the three ages of a woman's fertility, with panels of original poetry capturing the essence of love and relationships, hand embroidered in silk threads. Colour palette of yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, blue and brown. Recycled vintage fabrics establishes the mature pattern and texture of a bygone age. Textile wall hanging 97'' h x 29'' w x 1.5'' d (inches). £8,100.
Detail of Woman - Age 1, with a simple childlike pattern demonstrating the onset of puberty in a colourful palette of yellow, orange, red, brown and black, embellished in dark red and black embroidery. Created from a sixties dress my Mother kindly donated. A rich textural surround of orange and gold velvet and chenille, embellished in french knots and simple mark making.
Detail of Woman - Age 2 in the reproductive fertility cycle is presented in a more elaborate pattern in a vivid colour palette of yellow, pink, orange, red, brown and black, set against a rich patchwork of traditional pattern and texture embellished in hand embroidery. Recycled fabrics include satin, crushed velvet, silk and canvas in a colour palette of gold, orange, pale green, plum, red, mustard yellow, green, brown and lavender.
Detail of Woman - Age 3 in an abstract design celebrating full maturity of fertility in a colour palette of yellow, orange, pink, red, brown and black. Surrounding patchwork panels created from recycled materials include silk and velvet, adorned in hand embroidered silk threads.
Detail of patchwork panels created from vintage fabrics of my childhood, celebrating traditional pattern, colour and textures of a bygone age. Includes printed canvas, wool, velvet and silks. Enhanced in hand embroidery, mark making and french knots in wool and silk threads. Original poetry captures the spirit of a bygone age. Colour palette of gold, orange, lavender, mustard, brown, pink and green.
Abstract textile design exploring the subject of fertility with a portrayal of the womb and conception. Recycled scraps of fabrics are layered and tied to create the inner textile with an outer fringe of dense pompoms in a vibrant colour palette of reds, pinks, purples and blues. A cluster of pearl necklaces represent the fertilised eggs nestled in the lining of the womb. Textile wall hanging 45'' h x 34'' w x 9 '' d (inches). £6,000.
Detail of dense layered fringe created from recycled wool and fabric pompoms in a vivid colour palette of bright red, pink, purple, blue and grey. Note the diversity within the range of textures.
Detail of wool and fabric pompom fringe, created from recycled materials in a vivid colour palette of red, pink, purple, blue and grey. Density is achieved by layering pompoms, fixing to the back of the textile with pompoms freely mobile, surrounding the fixed inner body of the textile.
Detail of the central textile body created from many layers of fabric strips, roughly cut and frayed to achieve natural texture. Recycled materials include silk, satin, fur, nylon mesh and fruit netting. Adorned in recycled buttons within the layered structure. A vivid colour palette of red, pink, purple and blue.
Detail of fertility presented in a cluster of pearl necklaces embedded within the layered structure of the abstract womb. Layers of recycled materials (silk, mesh, organza) are tied and knotted together, roughly cut to promote natural texture within the frayed edges. Colour palette of ivory, red, pink, blue and purple.