“To me, the voyage of experimentation can last a lifetime and give solace to the soul in troubled and uncertain times. Long may it continue.” Anne Menary

Anne Menary
Voyages

29 August - 3 October
Long Gallery

Anne Menary is a textile and mixed media artist. She graduated in embroidery from Birmingham followed by a teaching Certificate from Goldsmiths College London and has worked as an educator since that time alongside her own art practice. Anne has learnt and taught many artistic and stitch techniques over the last 25 years but never tires of experimenting and learning. Her interest in making things and the joys of travel began as a child; from experiencing caravan holidays through to imaginary space travel! Anne’s son is an particle physicist so maybe that explains a lot! This exhibition is comprised of images constructed with found objects and recycled materials, which have their own story and journeys prior to their use in Anne’s artworks. These diverse pieces of fabric and objects are then used to construct land, sea and space ‘scapes’ as well as boxes, sculptures and a rather magnificent ‘soft’ space ship!!!

“Anne’s images always take you on a flight of imagination as there are so many ‘pieces’ to each image. Her ‘pictures’ are patchwork, embroidered, collaged, stitched and constructed, with abstract and figurative elements and most often with a clear dose of humour thrown in! There are pockets and layers, attached and embedded objects, lace, cotton, silk, wool, threads, words, beads, stones and other ‘found’ elements. Often easily ‘read’ there is always more to them than meets the eye.

There is a joy and innocence to Anne’s work that connects the child in us all and that cannot help but make you smile. In these unprecedented and unusual times, what can be more important than that?” Karen Sherwood, Director.