Made in the Middle - Pt 2

Over the weekend I posted about the glass on show at Made in the Middle at the MAC.  However, that only covered three of the 35 artists / makers exhibited, so I think it's only fair to add some non-glassy highlights.  From a personal point of view, I was really pleased to get the chance to see work by both Norman Cherry and Amy Twigger Holroyd - so I've picked them as the focus for this follow-up post. 

My interest in Norman Cherry comes from his links with the University of Lincoln - he became Dean of the Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design there a couple of years after I graduated, so I was naturally keen to see his jewellery on display. 

I rarely wear jewellery, and don't spend as much time as I should looking into cabinets.  A shame, as when I do, I'm regularly floored by the works of small-scale precision you find inside.  This is perhaps to be expected from someone who was Professor at Birmingham's School of Jewellery. But I also felt an affinity for the pieces themselves - as they rely on whispered geometry (so subtle that it's almost become natural). And although they are six entirely individual pieces, they also have a shared language which allows them to speak together as a whole. A skill to be envied.

This link should take you to a catalogue which includes larger images of a few of the pieces on display. 

I've had a bit of a soft spot for Amy Twigger Holroyd since I heard her speak at a Designer Maker West Midlands seminar last year.  She managed to enthuse an audience full of makers with her personal approach to marketing...for which much respect is due! 

While she certainly makes her own covetable knitwear, the work on display focused on her "pattern blagging" and "stitch hacking" techniques.  I hadn't known about this side of her work, and am a big fan of the stitch hacking.  This is where second-hand garments are altered (and I'd definitely say upcycled) by unpicking and then reconfiguring the stitches.  This was used to add text to sweaters (pictured above) - and worked well for me, as the technique subtly plays with texture, light and shade.  As these are adapted, rathered than fully designed pieces, the hacking was cleverly used to raise questions of authorship.

Amy was also involved with the Apprenticeships in the Making scheme which Craftspace ran prior to the exhibition. There was some brilliant (and sometimes touching) footage of the four apprentices, who'd worked with Amy and two other artists in the exhibition: Jennifer Collier and Kevin Grey. Amy had enthused one of her apprentices so much that he'd asked for his own knitting machine!

I've still only skimmed the surface of the work on show at Made in the Middle - which feels very unfair, when there was so much talent on display.  To relieve my guilt, can you please make sure to go and see the rest!  Made in the Middle is on at the MAC until 15 April 2012, and then goes on a tour of other venues in the Midlands (Click this link for tour details).