the fabric of loneliness – material test

goodmakes workshops are designed to be adaptable in order to work with diverse groups, from children to the elderly.

Here I am preparing for a workshop with the elderly in partnership with MHA Care and the local council, helping participants   to fight off loneliness by sharing their feelings and memories, coming together to create the ‘fabric of loneliness’ which will help them to form new friendships!

I tested new block-printing techniques using clay to be inclusive of elderly people with dexterity, hand coordination and strength challenges. Clay is a soft material so is easier to carve and make marks on with blunt tools.

 

The meant carving the clay at just the right time when the texture still soft but resistant.

When the clay dries, its porous surface remains absorbent so I was able to ink it up and print patterns as I would with linocut.