Navigating ruts, seagulls, and new inspiration

Author

Grace Richardson
October 20, 2024

Hi everyone! Hope this finds you well and cozy in your corner of the world. 

To be honest, I’ve been creatively slow these last few months - largely because all of my embroidery supplies are stuffed in every nook and cranny in my tiny London room. I think about a project, then remember I have no idea where my favorite thread is, so I give up before I even start! 

I try to remind myself that creative ruts are a part of the process, especially during periods of change and transition in your life. And while things have been a bit chaotic in my little space, I do have some exciting updates and plans I want to share with you—because even in the mess, there’s a lot to look forward to!

What I’m Making:

Stitch-A-Seagull Embroidery Workshop

I started the Embroiderer’s Collective with my former classmates - Megan, Marceli, and Elizabeth - in our final few months of our embroidery degree. We wanted to make space to learn embroidery skills in a relaxed way, with a low (often free) price tag! We are aiming to have one more workshop this year, likely in the London area in December - potentially holiday themed! Follow us on instagram for updates @embroidererscollective 

Inside Bus Stop Studios - craft heaven!

We’ve had two workshops so far, the second one in Hastings at Bus Stop Studios. The space was started by my former embroidery tutor, and it is a must visit if you are in the area! Amy regularly puts on a wide range of workshops and has a great variety of books, materials, and supplies.

This workshop Marceli created a range of seagull designs, from abstract, to cute, to realistic! We focused on core stitches: back stitch, split stitch, french knots, couching, and basic beading. We all chatted, ate biscuits, drank tea, and created our own seagulls. I love how each person’s seagull reflected their own personality—some were life-like while others were glittery disco birds! It's a reminder that the same stitches can lead to such wildly different creations. These workshops have become a place to not only create, but to share and inspire one another.

All of the hoops at the end of the workshop - seagulls of all sorts

My second favorite thing about hosting these workshops are the tablescapes - we all bring random supplies from our stashes. Fabrics, beads, buttons, threads, yarn - everything! As people get stuck into their creations, the table becomes a colorful rainbow of textiles. Exactly how it should be! 

Setting up a studio (sort of…)

While I often dream of having a bright, spacious art studio with giant windows and endless natural light in the heart of London, that dream is still a bit out of reach (for now!). Instead, I’ve been on a mission to create a tiny creative corner in my bedroom. It's a squeeze, but I’m determined to make it work!

I’ve finally committed to organizing my chaotic stash of embroidery supplies, scrap fabrics, and portfolio boards. I even ordered a shelf that I’ll be building myself—wish me luck! I’m hoping it’ll provide a better place to store both my supplies and my finished pieces. I won’t lie, though, it’s been more of an undertaking than I expected. I’ve had to start parting ways with a lot of old clothes, trinkets, and other “treasures” I’ve hoarded over the years. But honestly, I think there’s something quite liberating about decluttering. I feel as though I’m opening a new chapter. Plus, making physical space for creativity creates mental space for new ideas to flow! 

Now I’m on the hunt for creative (and cheap!) storage solutions for small spaces—because, let’s be real, a tiny London bedroom doesn’t offer much extra room for all my scraps and half-finished projects. If anyone has any tips or DIY hacks, please share! In the meantime, I’m excited to get this space in order and finally have a dedicated area to dive back into embroidery. 

Want to do: Embellish a notebook cover

My “want to do” list is seemingly never-ending. I have some art pieces planned, and hope to continue the vessels series I started in my final year at the RSN. 

However, I’m craving a bit of light-hearted, just-for-fun projects. 

Dingbats*** was kind enough to send me one of their beautiful notebooks a while back, and here’s my confession—I still haven’t filled it! It’s been sitting there, waiting for me to do something special with it. The cover is this lovely, soft leather-like material, and I’ve been dreaming about embellishing it with some embroidery and maybe even a few beads. How amazing would it be to have a notebook that not only holds your ideas but is also a piece of art itself?

My notebook - imagine the whale covered in beads!

Dingbats is an eco-friendly stationery brand, and they feature different wildlife designs on their products. My journal has a whale on the cover, and I’m thinking I either fill in the whale or put sea motifs around it - thoughts?? 

This feels like one of those projects that’s low-pressure but super satisfying—perfect for getting back into the swing of making without stressing about a big outcome. Plus, I love the idea of bringing embroidery into everyday objects, blending art with the things we use daily.

**Btw, they did offer me an affiliate link, so if you order one I do get a tiny commission. I haven't used it yet but I figured why not send it out if you want to do the project with me :) and if you use the code GRACERICHARDSON you get 10% off!!!

What I’m Doing:

Belongings - Susan Aldworth

I had the opportunity to go to the private opening of Belongings, an exhibition by the visual artist Susan Aldworth. In our second year of my embroidery degree, my classmates and I had the opportunity to participate in a “live project” with Susan. We each embroidered a garment using text from a piece of the story behind Belongings, which tells the incredibly moving tale of her grandmother, Luigia Bernia.

Luigia emigrated from a small town in Italy to London in 1924, and Susan’s exhibition beautifully brings her journey to life, showcasing the few belongings she brought with her and how they reflect her immigrant experience. It’s such a deeply personal and emotional exhibition, and it was surreal to see the garments we worked on being part of that story. The garments hang from the ceiling, allowing you to walk through and get an up close look at the details. 

Front of the exhibition- absolutely beautiful embroidery work!

When my classmates and I visited the exhibition in person, it was a mix of excitement and nostalgia. We were honored as students to contribute to such a personal and moving exhibition! Not only was it amazing to see our tiny contributions come together in such a powerful way, but it was also a mini reunion — seeing familiar faces and remembering the joy of working on these pieces during our degree. Watching attendees touch and admire each garment was special - reminding me of the tactile power of hand embroidery.

Closer look at the garment I contributed to - my section of the story was about propaganda during WWII

If you happen to be in London, I highly recommend checking out Belongings at The Arcade, Bush House. It’s free and runs until November 8th, 2024.

Textile hunting at Moco

Recently, I visited the newly opened Moco Museum in London, which features a wide range of modern and contemporary art from big names like Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Banksy. It was an eclectic mix—some pieces I absolutely loved, and some didn’t quite speak to me, but I guess that’s the beauty of art, right? It also was cool to see such famous works up and close and in person. 

What really excited me, though, was stumbling upon a little bit of textile art! As much as I appreciate modern art, it still feels a bit rare to see textiles represented in big-name galleries or museums (maybe I’m biased). 

That’s why it felt like such a lovely surprise to discover two beautiful tufted pieces by Miranda Makaroff, tucked away on the bottom floor of Moco. Miranda is a multidisciplinary artist who celebrates the pleasures and desires of women through vibrant, playful art. Her tufted works immediately caught my eye with their bold colors and texture. Tufting is definitely high on my “to-learn” list, and seeing Miranda’s work just reaffirmed how incredible and expressive this medium can be.

If you’re in London and visiting Moco, make sure you don’t miss her pieces—they’re bright, fun, and remind me just how powerful textiles can be in modern art. It's encouraging to see more textile art breaking through into these spaces!

What I’m Loving:

Rise of medieval fashion:

Medieval revival fashion is on the rise, and I’m loving it! The embroidery opportunities are endless. I’ve been dreaming about starting a goldwork project inspired by those intricate medieval motifs—or maybe even creating a headpiece with rich textures and metallic threads. How amazing would that be?

If you’re as intrigued as I am, here are two interesting articles to dive deeper into this rising trend:

And here are a few medieval embroideries I love: 

Tanya Bentham, The Three Living and The Three Dead, 2021. 40cm x 30cm (16″ x 12″). Hand stitch. Silk, metal.

I saw Tanya Bentham’s work at the Broderers’ Exhibition in 2023, and immediately followed on Instagram. Read more about Bentham’s work here - including the exact materials and techniques she uses to make her medieval embroidery!

Entering my poetry era: Mary Oliver

It’s easy to feel lost as a recent art school graduate - suddenly your classmates are scattered, everyone forging their own path. I have a bad tendency to compare myself to others and their successes - constantly telling myself I need to do more, work harder! 

After a couple of months feeling adrift and wallowing about, I stumbled upon (AKA found on tiktok) the Mary Oliver poem Wild Geese.

I’ve become obsessed with this poem - on tiktok there are countless videos with montaged clips from life - sunsets, crickets, friends laughing - edited over the sound of Mary Oliver reading this poem. Since finding this, I’ve committed myself to devouring as much of Oliver’s poetry as possible. I’m currently reading “A Thousand Mornings” and have already dog-eared several poems. 

Hopefully, Wild Geese will resonate with you too. In times when you feel adrift or unsure, maybe it will offer the same peace and inspiration it has for me.

❝

“You do not have to be good. 

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. 

You only have to let the soft animal of your body 

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. 

Meanwhile the world goes on. 

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain 

are moving across the landscapes. 

over the prairies and the deep trees, 

the mountains and the rivers. 

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again. 

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 

the world offers itself to your imagination, 

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting - 

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.”

Mary Oliver

As I sit here reflecting on everything I’ve shared, from the slow unfolding of creative projects to random discoveries that have sparked new inspiration, I’m reminded that this whole journey—art, life, all of it—isn’t a straight path. Sometimes we hit slow periods, and sometimes we get completely swept away by an idea or a new medium, and that’s okay. It’s all part of the process.

I’m excited to keep sharing these moments with you—both the messy, uncertain bits and the joyful ones. Whether it’s learning new skills like tufting, finding inspiration in medieval art, or setting up a tiny studio in my bedroom, I’m grateful to have a space to explore and create, and even more grateful to have you along for the ride.

I’d love to hear from you—what have you been up to? What’s inspiring you lately? Whether it’s a poem, a project, or a simple moment that brought you joy, hit reply and share it with me! 

Until next time, 

Grace

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