White Poppies for a Peaceful Future

White Poppies at the Quaker Meeting House, Friargate, York

You may remember back in 2015, as part of the events to commemorate the First World War 100 years on, the local community, Deborah New, & I put up an installation in Rowntree Park to encourage both thoughts of remembrance (red poppies) and peace (white poppies) as remembering those who died or suffered through war whilst hoping for peace is an intrinsic part of Rowntree Park’s existence. More about that project here.

Rowntree Park Yarnstorm Installation

After the event the white poppies were given to the Friargate Quaker Meeting and the red poppies to the York Branch of the British Legion to use in ways they considered appropriate.  So, it was great to hear from the Friargate Meeting that those white poppies were on display promoting their events as part of the "York Remembers" season marking the centenary of the end of WW1 in 1918.  These events look beyond the history and consider a more peaceful future for the world...

Conference & Workshops to Consider a More Peaceful Future

A White Poppy for Peace Made of Many Poppies

Looking for alternative ways to resolve conflict

Big White Poppy

The first event has already taken place but the second event is on Saturday 17 November 2018 and is a day of workshops to introduce skills for practical peace making, conflict resolution and non-violent communication.  If you'd like to get involved, details are given below...

Programme for the Friargate Meeting House Events

I think we'd all appreciate a more peaceful world.

Faux Applique with Joanna O'Neill

Joanna O'Neill - Willow & Rowan

Joanna O'Neill recently held a workshop for the City of York Embroiderers' Guild on Faux Applique.  She brought lots of her beautiful work to inspire us...

Joanna O'Neill - Protection, Healing & Strength

Joanna O'Neill - Dragon Tree (part), Leaves & Lost in a Quilter's Garden

Then, equipped with Markal Paintstiks, toothbrushes and stencils created out of freezer paper (made either from Joanna's designs or our own), we experimented with light and dark fabrics to produce our faux applique designs...

Markal Paintstiks

Brushes!

Stencils

My faux applique designs

We put these to one side to thoroughly dry as this would take a few days.  Next, Joanna showed us her samples that had been hand or machine stitched in various ways to complete the faux applique effect.  Then, working on some samples that Joanna had previously prepared for us we stitched to create our own samples.

Joanna O'Neill - Faux Applique Samples

My stitched sample...

It was a very effective technique...

Other people's samples

Thank you, Joanna.

Chiharu Shiota at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Chiharu Shiota at YSP

Installed in St Bartholomew's Chapel at YSP, Japenese artist Chiharu Shiota's Beyond Time installation uses a web of white wool to entwine a metal piano, reminding us of the organ that used to be in the Chapel, and to trap copies of memorial service papers and bell ringing scores also from the Chapel.  The work invokes a sense of memory and place, of what went on and what was experienced there since it was built in 1744.

Chiharu Shiota at YSP

Chiharu Shiota at YSP

The exhibit involved the installation of metal rods across the ceiling and false walls to which the thread (2000 balls of woollen yarn) was attached - look out for the staples.  It took ten people, ten days to install.

Chiharu Shiota at YSP

Chiharu Shiota at YSP

Exuding an amazing sense of beauty and calm, this is definitely a "must see" installation - on at YSP until the 4 November 2018. Go see!