The stitched garments and objects I create penetrate the real and the imaginary exploring the issues of stitching and unstitching the self through everyday activity.
When I am making I am absorbed in the activity, working intuitively and guided by the thoughts and revelations that crafting uncovers. I want to discover who I am and why stitch is so important to me. Each object becomes a revelation and a token of memory.
The stitched objects, books and documentation reflect my compulsion to express the relationship between the self and the outside world.
Bread Effigies are expressions that investigate a daily ritual of making in which my ancestors would have partaken. By stitching bread effigies I aim to subvert a chore into a devotional offering. Each stitch is a metaphor for the bonding process; ephemeral materials are intuitively crafted so nothing is wasted. Creating a visual space where my ancestors can live again.
Ancestor skins are current expressions that bring together the varied visual documentation collected over the last few years. I utilise memory, historical imagery, personal reflection and myths of my female ancestors creating intuitively crafted, tangible fabric surfaces imbued with layered personification.
As a mother I make many skins, skins to wash and skins to wear, stitched skins, ancestor skins. Skins become garments that protect the new generation and eventually shroud. Each stitch repeats the bonding process, seams are lineages, pieced together so nothing is wasted.
Every object I make I affirm continuity for future generations and add an esoteric mystery to a world that has paved over some of its ancient magic. I hope an audience will view the archive with curiosity recognising the need to revisit the past and make connection for themselves.
Alison Mercer 2008
CV: September 2008
Training
2007 London college of Printing – Award in Design Book Structures
1998-2000 Manchester Metropolitan University - M.A. Textiles
2000-2002 University of Wales - P.G.C.E
1998-1999 Manchester Metropolitan University - P.G. Dip Textiles
1985-1988 M.M.U. B.A. First Degree (commendation) Contemporary Craft
Clinical Training
2008 Substance Misuse Training Level 2
2008 Child Protection Strategy Level 2
2008 NHS Wales Induction Training
Awards
2008 / 2009 Artist In Residence Award Ysbyty Gwynedd
2001 Welsh Artist of the Year – Craft
1996 European Embroidery Awards – finalist
1994 Welsh Fashion Awards - finalist
1994 Cancer Research Campaign Card Design Competition - finalist
1994 Bookworks. Glyn Vivian Gallery artists books prize - commendation
1990 Welsh Open Design Competition, Special Design Award
1989 The Lynnette De Denn Design for Embroidery Award
1988 The Royal Society of Arts Design Bursary - 1st prize jewellery section
Exhibitions
2010 Ucheldre Arts Centre Holyhead Solo Exhibition June/ July 2010
2009 Llantarnum Grange Arts Centre Cwmbran Fibre Voices selected Fibre Artist Exhibition
2009 Rhondda Heritage Park FAW Journeys March 2009
2009 Welsh Assembly Cardiff Artist In Residence Travelling exhibition April 2009
2009 Technium Cast Conference centre Bangor Artist In Residence Travelling Exhibition 2009
2008-2009 Fibre Essence Gallery, Vancouver Through the Looking Glass (Juried exhibition) Travelling Canada until August 2009
2008 Bangor Museum and Art Gallery Arts in Health and Wellbeing at Ysbyty Gwynedd August 2008
2008 Welsh Artist Of the Year (Selected exhibition) St Davids Hall Cardiff June 2008
2008 Banbury Museum Art Gallery Journeys Fibre Art Wales 2008
2008 World Trade Centre Boston USA Craft Boston Selected exhibitor Fibre Art Wales
2008 Alsager Gallery Manchester Met University Penetration Solo Exhibition
2007 Chelsea Designer Crafts Chelsea Town Hall
2007 The John Holden Gallery Manchester Artists Books
2006 The Nightingale Sings For No-One But Herself Bangor Museum; A travelling Solo Exhibition
2006 Context Gallery Cardiff Bay solo Exhibition
2006 Oriel Davies Open Undercover
2005 Welsh Artist of the Year, Stuttgart, Germany
2005 Art and Craft Pavilion, National Eisteddfod, Bangor, North Wales
2005 ORIGINS - Fibre.Art.Wales, Crafts Council of Ireland National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland
2005 A Stitched Inheritance, Oriel Makers Gallery, Cardiff solo exhibition
2004-2006 ORIGINS, F.A.W UK touring exhibition, The Knitting & Stitching Show, London
2004 ‘FIBRE.ART.WALES In IRELAND’, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern Ireland
2004 Celebrating Ten - Dethlu Deg, Minerva Arts Centre, Llanidloes, Mid Wales
2004-2006 HOMELANDS, F.A.W UK touring exhibition
2001-2005 Welsh Artist Of The Year. St Davids Hall Cardiff
2001-2003 Fibre Visions, F.A.W UK touring exhibition
2001 Art Of The Stitch, The Mall Galleries, London
2000 The Righton Gallery, Manchester
1997 Euro Art Fair, Madrid, Spain
1997 European woman’s Textile Exhibition, Bosjokloster Castle, Sweden
1996-2004 The Knit and Stitch show, London, Dublin and Harrogate
1995 Centre Permanent D’Artesania, Barcelona, Spain
1995 Mexicana, Model House exhibition Wales
1994 Premier Collections, Paris, France
1994 Embroiders Guild exhibition, The Collins Gallery, Glasgow
1994 Art of the Stitch Commonwealth Institute, London
1994 Festival D’ete, De Nantes, France
1990-1998 The Devon Guild Of Craftsman
1993-1998 The 62′ Group Of Textile Artists.
1994-1997 The Makers Guild In Wales
1994-1997 New Fibre Art
1993 Ruthin Craft Centre
1993-1998 Design Gap
1990 Gawthorp Hall Embroiderers Guild Open Exhibition.
1988 The Royal Society of Arts Design Bursaries, London
1988 New Designers London
Publications
2008 Golwg - September Interview with Artist In residence at Ysbyty Gwynedd
2008 Embroidery - Review of Penetration May/June
2008 Tonic NHS Wales Trust Magazine
2008 Embroidery - January/ May/ June
2006 The Nightingale Sings - Artists Catalogue
2006 Undercover - Catalogue Oriel Davies Gallery
2005 The Visit - ITV1 Wales, 2005
2005 Taliesin (Summer)
2004 HOMELANDS, Fibre.Art.Wales Publication
1997 Artists Magazine Front cover commission.
1997 Let’s Look Relay publications art in the curriculum. Book and Commission
1988 Crafts - Crafts Council Magazine
Residencies/ Public Collections
2008/2009 Artist In Residence award Ysbyty Gwynedd Bangor
2007 Coleg Menai Public Collection Foyer Project
2006 Gwynedd council public collection Bangor museum and Art Gallery
2002 Cardiff City Council; Art In Schools project Norweigian Church
2001 Cardiff City Hall, special schools project
2000 Ifor Bach, residency and commission, Cardiff City Hall
1997 Cardiff Bay Arts Trust, Bute Town History and Art Centre, Cardiff
1997 Wepre Country Park commission and residency, Flintshire
1997 Ysgol Gyfyn Llangefni. Residency and Commission.
1997 Ysgol Llanddulas Colwyn Bay Residency and Commission
1989-1991 Junior Designer Seion Designer Textiles Llanberis
1992 Garden Festival Wales Artist In residence
1992-2008 Artist In residence in over 50 schools in Wales and Britain
Teaching
1997-2009 Plas Tan Y Bwlch Visiting Lecturer in Fibre Arts Masterclass
1997-2008 Coleg Menai – Applied Arts Co Ordinator for ; W.J.E.C. Art Foundation; Applied Arts co-ordinator year 2 ; Foundation Degree;
2004-2008 Coleg Menai Applied Arts co-ordinator for National Diploma In Design
1997-2008 Bangor University - visiting lecturer Postgraduate Teaching Art And Design
1997-2008 Embroiderers Guild, Hampton Court Palace – Masterclass fibre Artist \visiting lecturer
1997-2008 Masterclass Textile Courses In The Community; Self- Initiated Projects.
1986-88 Bucks Rock Theatre, Connecticut, USA – costume designer in residence
Societies
FIBRE.ART.WALES.
Greyhound Rescue Wales