Embroidery workshop Pallant House Gallery and with high school from Chichester

Last weekend I spent in Chichester, arranging several embroidery workshops in Pallant House Gallery. It was a very good experience, I met so many engaged dedicated people, both among Pallant House staff, museums visitors and young students. Friday morning started with a workshop at a high school in the area, embroidering with 11 and 12 year old girls. I started the session by asking them what they thought of embroidering names of women and focusing on a difficult situation so far away from Chichester. One of them answered "...but we have to care, we are all part of one large world" And the girls cared, embroidering beautifully and engaging eagerly in the conversation.The afternoon was spent in the gallery with older students from the same school. They stayed after school time to participate.

Saturday and Sunday was open workshops for the public. Although it started off a little bit slow, in the afternoon several labels had been embroidered. Some came to deliver a label that had been embroidered at home and to pick up more names to do. A man came on Saturday, spent a long time listening to the stories, he had never embroidered before. On Sunday he came back to sew a label. He told me how he had called friends telling them about the possibility to take part in this project. These gestures make me so glad. Because this is how this project can continue to grow!

And please, if you would like to participate where ever you live, just send me an email with your name, address and how many labels you need. I will send you all the materials you need and information about the situation in Ciudad Juarez. There will also be a prepaid envelope to send the embroidered labels back to me. The labels you embroider will then be part of the exhibition opening in Pallant House Gallery in October and travel from there to other places in the world and continue to spread awareness.

Best Lise