Project Outline by Mildred Cullivan:
To make two textile panels to hang in situ in Cootehill Public Library. These
should reflect historic or contemporary aspects of the town and surrounding
areas. The panels to be conceived and produced by the library craft group who
meet there once a week on Wednesday afternoons to work on their own individual
projects.
After meeting with
Catriona O'Reilly, Cavan Arts Officer and Ann O’Reilly, Culture Cavan Co-ordinator and Sinead Rice of Cootehill Library, criteria
were established. I would facilitate the group and Sinead would mediate.
Before meeting the
group Sinead had taken measurements of the spaces and I had made two paper
panels to scale. In our first meeting we looked at pieces the group were
working on themselves, this gave me some idea of their skills (mostly knit). Themes
based on local landscape, linen and railway history and landmark buildings were
put forward as possible subject matter. To help them visualize possibilities I
brought a portfolio of my own stitched textile work to show all stages of a
project to completion.
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Cootehill Craft Group |
The ‘research’
phase was difficult as the group had little experience of drawing/design
development and it can be very daunting and time consuming! I drew up some
images based on what they had collected, made some knit samples to illustrate
how to interpret some of the imagery and supplied wool (based on colours we had
decided on), they then started to knit and appliqué samples based on the
drawings.
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Work by the Cootehill Craft Group |
I devised panels
with three oval “windows” as these could be ‘pieced’ together easily and also
allowed members to divide and manage the making between each other as
appropriate. Once the group took over the making they really took ownership of
the project and worked with great commitment. Over the weeks they shared
skills, tried different techniques, discussed possibilities, made decisions
about content etc. When I supplied the finished (canvas background) panels the
group had already accumulated all the elements needed to complete the work.
Overall it was a tight schedule but they
really worked through their initial insecurities and gained confidence, learned
how to work creatively within the group and with the support of this project.
Sinead was a great support to everyone throughout.
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The women sit by their work at Cootehill Library, new home of the Cootehill textile panels |
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Amazing ideas resulted in beautiful reflective pieces representing Cootehill |
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The project at times was extremely challenging |
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The group attend the launch of their work at Cootehill Library |
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The project began in April 2013 and was completed and launched in November 2013 |
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Facilitator Mildred Cullivan speaks about the journey the group experienced during the creation of the pieces |
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The pieces are now displayed at Cootehill Library |
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Each piece represents Cootehill's history and tradition |