Stewarding and talk at Radley College

Today was my day to steward the exhibition and to give my talk to the boys ... they were so lovely, about 30 of them..

Whilst I was talking, I asked them to do some stitching for me..... very simple running stitch inot a piece of silk fabric.

They did some wonderful stitching. I shall be dye painting the fabric and then hanging it next to mine in the gallery when I steward again next Thursday. I have invited the boys to come and see their pieces and talk to me again.
I also took my sketchbooks with me, as well as some of my resolved work... I told them to touch the textiles and look properly, and ask questions. Normally in a gallery setting there are lots of notices that say..." Do not touch" - naturally one of the first things I always want to do with textiles is touch! The boys were very polite, and did touch the work , but with respect and I was told none of them had ever done any stitching before.

They could only see photos of my "faces" work like the one above, as this series of work is all at Barnstable museum at the moment. I did invite theboys to look at the many sketchbooks that I have and ask questions about my way of working.
Good fun.
As a thank you they gave me a sea white sketchbook... the one which concertinas out, with the double paper like pockets, and bound in a casing.... I was very chuffed, and they treated me to a lovely lunch as well.
I am such a lucky girl.