The Spotted Dog

I haven’t been up to very much fibre art in the past few months.  Partly due to moving and not having much studio space (all due to change shortly as I will be moving into a large top floor flat in April with a dedicated nap room/ studio), spending concentrated amounts of time with my Sweetie between here and Birmingham where he currently resides and to be honest, my most recent work-in-progress is quite emotionally difficult and challenging .  .  .  .  .  more on that another time.

I did however, this winter, make and hang a comissioned accordion book in The Spotted Dog, a Digbeth gem in Birmingham, UK.  The comission came about on 5th September, 2008 when I went to Friday night Pimms-o-Clock to meet  Nicky Getgood, Doyenne of Digbeth.  Coincidently, I also met my destiny that night.  Does one ever plan for that? .  .  .  .  more on this another time.  I had taken some of my artmoney and a few small samples of my work.  Landlord John Tighe not only let me buy a round of drinks with artmoney, but he comissioned me on the spot to capture his pub in image and stitch.  The Spotted Dog is a lovely traditional pub with strong leanings towards its Irish roots.

The Spotted Dog

Silly me, I didn’t take any photos of the book before it was framed, but here are some of the images I used  .  .  .

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One of John’s antique phonographs, currently at the centre of a controversial Noise Abatement Order. . . .

Irish men watching hurling

There’s nothing like a Guinness

18th and 19th century deeds

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Once the book was completed, I had it framed with a clear perspex front and back so that it can be viewed from both sides.

Front

Back

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The framed piece was hung with a piano hinge on the left side so that it can be swung away from the wall and viewed from the back as well.

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One of the finest compliments of all for a comission  .  .  .  .

“It looks like it’s always been there”