On Tuesday 10th June, the Threads of Time exhibition opened to a wonderfully excited group of visitors. The final tally of works on display was 40, with some of the 32 artists producing more than one piece. Also on display were some of the workbooks produced by the artists in the course of their design work. Many of the documents from the Wittewronge collection which had been used by the artists to inspire their work were on display, including the oldest document held at HALS – a charter dating from 1060. We were fortunate to have two world class speakers at the event. Professor John Styles from the University of Hertfordshire gave a lecture entitled ‘Threads of Feeling’ which told some of the stories of the textile tokens that were left with children at the Foundling Hospital in London in the eighteenth century. Bridget Long, an internationally renowned quilter, talked about the social implications of needlework for women in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Visitors to the exhibition were amazed and impressed by the range of work on display. Some of their comments are below: ‘I don’t know what I expected, but the time, care and effort that contributed to the displays, text, archived material and overall presentation excelled all expectations!’ ‘Wonderful to see different interpretations of an amazing archive collection’ ‘Fascinating! Artistic gifts capturing everyday life. What a wonderful way to display history’ ‘What a marvellous idea! I feel inspired! The exhibition remains on display at HALS during opening hours until 28 June and is free to visit – come and be inspired!
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