Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle

by Clare Hunter

THIS SESSION OF TEXTITLES IS FULL. PLEASE EMAIL US TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST.

Wednesday, November 13, 6-7:30pm

TEXTITLES meetings take place at Pinney Library, 516 Cottage Grove Road, Madison

Facilitator: Angela Johnson (@angelajohnsonartist)

Fee: Free! Registration is required, however, via the link below.

Threads of Life is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power, and politics told through the stories of needlework. It’s human history told from a new, surprising perspective.

This is a globe-spanning history of sewing, embroidery, and the people who have used a needle and thread to make their voices heard. From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry to the pink pussyhats of the Women’s March, women and men have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances. Topics covered include:

• The English royals

• The Catholic Church

• World War I soldiers coping with PTSD

• Maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World

• The AIDS quilt

• Hmong story clothes

• And much more!

Clare Hunter, master of the craft, threads her own narrative as she takes us over centuries and across continents—from medieval France to contemporary Mexico and the United States, and from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland—to celebrate the age-old, universal, and underexplored beauty and power of sewing.

This is a thoughtful work of history and craft, full of little-known stories, and an evocative and moving book about the need we have to tell our story.

Participants are responsible for securing a copy of the book. It is currently available from Madison Public Libraries or for purchase on Amazon.

REGISTER

Facilitator Bio:

Angela Johnson is a professional artist, creativity coach and educator. She earned a master’s in Art Education, an MA in Art and an MFA with a focus in photography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her areas of artistic expertise include art journaling, alternative photo processes, bookmaking and box making, Creativity Coaching, and installation art. Angela’s work includes themes of nature, balance, and telling stories through individual and collective memories. She often incorporates scientific elements and concepts into her work. Collaborations with other artists and scientists energizes her creativity.

Johnson is a fixture in the Wisconsin arts scene, with 20+ years of experience maintaining public art studios, teaching workshops, facilitating programs, leading public art installations and lecturing at universities. She has worked in museums, elementary schools, senior centers, colleges and universities. She has inspired and helped people of every age — from toddlers to 95-year-olds — reaching far into the depths of their imagination to discover and channel their creativity. She also teaches workshops on mindfulness and yoga.

Website: angelajohnsonartist.com

Social: @angelajohnsonartist