Thread’Bare by Sally Hewett and Violet Kesby

Thread’Bare – 30 August – 16 September

Thread’Bare is an exhibition of stitching and embroidery by Sally Hewett and her grandmother, Violet Kesby who died in 1965 and left most of her collection of clothing, embroidery, fabrics, lace and silks to Sally.

The work Sally is showing includes embroidered body parts – the inspiration for which comes from both bodies of people she knows and bodies that she passes in the street or sees in cafes and restaurants – and 3D transcriptions of objects from well known paintings. These include a pair of tiny shoes transcribed from Richard Dadd’s painting The Faerie Fella’s Master Stroke and the hat worn by Albrecht Durer in the painting Self Portrait with Gloves. Violet worked for some of her life as an upholsterer. Her work includes part of her wedding dress, clothing that she made for her children and their dolls, a sampler and some pieces of exquisite lace.