04 October to 26 November 2018
Fabric of Place was an innovative community-based artist-in-residency project based in Swaledale. Four artists and more than two hundred members of the Swaledale community, including children at Reeth and Gunnerside Primary Schools created their own artwork.
Each of the four artists worked with different groups within the community.
Joanne B. Kaar, a textile artist, worked with a group of local crafters and makers, as well as with year 5 and 6 pupils.
Serena Partridge, a textile artist, worked with Swaledale Youth Club and young carers via Hambleton and Richmondshire Carers’ Centre.
Ed Kluz, illustrator and printmaker, collected stories and songs from older people within the community.
Graham Taylor, a potter, ran workshops for families and the Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group to experiment with clay.
The exhibition displayed dozens of artworks inspired by local life and created during the past 18 months as part of a ‘Slow Art’ project run by Gargrave-based Chrysalis Arts.
Ultraviolet wool drawings, exhibited in a tent, a nod to Swaledale’s dark skies.
A hand-stitched umbrella appears in colour and texture to be like local lichen.
A hand-made rucksack – the essential piece of kit for visitors – has maps sown into the lining.
Emily Wilson from Chrysalis Arts said: “Delivering a project over a longer period allowed connections to be developed with a wide spectrum of the community. The project has engaged some more isolated residents, particularly older people. The artwork you will see in the exhibition gives a very true reflection of ‘place’.”
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund was one of the funders, granting £2,500 to the project.
See the Chrysalis Arts Website