“Patchworking Motherhood“ proposed by Emma McGinn
In collaboration with Fiona Wilkinson, lead occupational therapist for the Dorset perinatal community health team, Emma McGinn will be sharing her own experience of the transition to motherhood as being transformative with up to ten mothers approaching discharge at the perinatal unit in Dorset.
The project will run over eight weeks in two-hour sessions. Through craft-based textiles the idea that Matrescence “like a patchwork creates lots of disparate pieces that need rearranging and stitching back together one seam at a time” will be explored while each mother will be making a small blanket of her own.
Indicating four phases, Emma carefully set out how the award will be used. This includes costings for materials, refreshments, the fee for hiring the space, the purchase of a second-hand sewing machine, and paying for child care so that the mothers will be able bring their babies/young children along with them. The award will also be used to pay a stated amount per hour to cover Emma’s work as the project’s lead artist.
Emma is a well-qualified and experienced graduate. Whilst living in London she delivered talks and led modules for degree students. She also facilitated creative, textile-based workshops for mothers, parents, carers and refugee women mainly at the Woodfield Pavilion, a beautiful community space on Tooting Common.
In 2023 Emma relocated to Dorset where she is now undertaking Doctoral Research to explore materializing early motherhood experience through her own craft-based textiles, and beginning to facilitate creative textile-based workshops from Studio 28.
It will be interesting to follow how Emma, given the award, will develop her practice as a textile artist and the collaboration with Fiona Wilkinson to set up and deliver this interesting, inclusive and heartwarming STAR PROJECT.
Selecting the Star Project has been a rewarding and challenging task. Over a dozen applications were received, some for existing groups whilst others aimed to set up a new group. No group is too well established or too small or unusual to be considered. The venues varied from community centers or schools, to arts centers or museums. A wide range of creative textile artists and teachers applied, each proposing a project which would both benefit individual participants and reach out to new audiences.
The selectors appreciated the time and thought everyone gave to preparing and presenting their text and images. Without exception all the projects proposed are potentially viable, and merit being set up and we wish these projects every success.
The Star Project Award is biannual and will be offered again in 2026.