Claire Edwards

Cross Hatch

Artwork size: 30cm x 41cm

Artwork medium: Quilted cotton and hemp fabric, cotton batting, cotton thread

Prior to training as an art therapist, my background was in art history, rather than visual art. Retirement provided a great opportunity to fully immerse myself in my art practice. Improv quilting, and other related textile related activities, such as slow stitching, applique, and fabric dyeing, have sustained me since retiring from clinical practice in 2022. It has also enabled me to reflect on similarities between textiles and my previous career as an art therapist and educator. 

In the past 18 months, I have found and initiated community based stitching groups and activities, both online and locally, learned new skills and made new friends. I have observed how older women, who are often the main participants in these spaces, often have very low confidence and perfectionist tendencies. I have noticed how the facilitation of any creative activity can be either nurturing or the opposite. I have been drawn to embrace the ‘good enough’ stitch, activism through sewing, and breaking the quilting rules. 

In this improv quilted piece, I created a crosshatch pattern using remnants from my scrap pile in shades of beige and tan. Working with scraps makes for a sustainable practice, and also parallels the low status of mental health clients in our communities. Despite limited resources and within firm boundaries, there is still potential to create beauty and a satisfying, meaningful image.