Craftspace

Linking with the Made in the Middle exhibition, At Home (2006) explored the life of the craft object beyond the studio or gallery.

We worked with Rugby Museum and Art Gallery, professional contemporary craft makers and two local adult groups in Rugby to explore personal responses to commissioning and living with craft objects. Craft students from Warwickshire college worked as volunteers on the project, supporting the participants and made work in response to their experiences. The project was supported by Kate McIntyre of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College.

The two groups were the JACEA club, a group of retired women and men who met together for the first time for the project, and the Mayday Trust which brought together two groups who live in supported accommodation.

Over six months during 2006, participants took part in a series of craft activities led by professional makers. They broadened their knowledge and experience of craft, leading them to commission a piece of work directly from a maker. The groups visited the potter Jon Williams at his studio in Eastnor and saw the Jerwood Metal Prize exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Worksop. Many of the participants met their chosen artist to discuss their commission with this visit sometimes including seeing their work being made.

The Made in the Middle exhibition explores the relationship between the maker and their work. At Home investigates the reasons why people choose certain objects and their many responses to owning and living with hand-made objects produced especially for them.

The participants enjoyed working together and gained many new experiences. They learned new craft skills, widened their knowledge of contemporary craft and gained a piece of craft which is very personal to them.

The commissions were exhibited at Rugby Museum and Art gallery for the launch of the Made in the Middle exhibition and photographs of the project will be on show for the exhibition tour. The photographs show craft objects in the domestic environment and offer a counterpoint for gallery visitors to the craft object in the gallery space.

This project built on the At Home (2002) project and is part of an ongoing area of research for Craftspace, linking to the Made in the Middle series.

An overview of the project including details of all of the commissions is available in the Made in the Middle catalogue.

The project has been a great success enabling Rugby people to learn about and experience craft, get to know staff from Rugby Art Gallery and Museum and have a craft piece made especially for them.

Andy Horn, Craftspace

Artists

Workshop makers: Laura Ellen Bacon, Sue Clews, Barbara Fidoe, Ros Ingram, Cathy Miles and Jon Williams.

Commissioned makers: Bridget Drakeford, Barbara Fidoe, Ruth Franklin, John Grayson, Sophie Honeybourne, Dean Hopkins, Val Hunt, Yoko Izawa, Chris Keenan, Ray Key, Cathy Miles, Katherine O’Kell, Kathryn Pearce and Sheldon Cooney

Curation And Partners

We worked with Rugby Museum and Art Gallery, JACEA Club and the Mayday Trust.