Work With Your Courage High

Ned Pratt Photo

This dress was created for Wild, Pure Aesthetic Wonder, an exhibition to be held in conjunction with Fibrearts NL. It is on display, til the end of the week at the Craft Council Gallery I created this child sized entirely from found objects (mostly beach combed) including: floursacks, rope, beach glass and pottery, shot gun shells, moose antler, bone, caribou hair and willow. It was challenging to stitch small lace eyelets with the strands of the rough polyester rope. As created the tiny holes, I kept hearing the voice of my mentor, Bunty Severs in my head as I stitched. 'Builds character' she would always retort when I grumbled about a stitch or technique. I now use that line on my students, to varying degrees of eye rolling.
The lace edging is also knit from the stranded rope, but the knitting was not near as challenging. I thoroughly enjoyed the process or this creation and was sad when it was completed.
Below is my artist statement about the piece. Even though the statement pertains to those who live inside the park, I feel the work is an tribute to all Newfoundland and Labrador women past and present who, like myself and Bunty Severs, chose to make a living following their passion with fibre.

‘Work With Your Courage High’  As a child and adult I have spent time in the park; camping hiking and exploring. All wonderful experiences, but my most valued trips are ones I have made to teach, work and meet with the women who work in the craft industry and live inside the park. These women are carrying out a long held tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador. Although this is not unique, I think that these women embody the spirit of the contemporary rural craftsperson: retaining the traditional resourcefulness and passion for creating, while embracing business savvy, intuition and opportunity to face an international market that seasonally appears on their doorstep.