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Art
of the StitchIf the Art of the Stitch is the flagship of the Embroiderers' Guild it's time to hoist the Jolly Roger. You have been boarded by pirates. I read in Chris Berry's catalogue introduction that the Guild is 'the only craft organisation in Britain solely devoted to embroidery' ... whose objectives are 'promotion of embroidery and education of the public in the art of embroidery'. Why then have you wasted this opportunity to celebrate embroidery and stitch? What are you afraid of?
I understand that you want to challenge people's notion of embroidery but perhaps that ought to be done with one or two thought provoking exhibits, and not the majority. Perhaps you could have an alternative exhibition for this purpose? I went to the exhibition expecting to see work to inspire me, and things to aspire to, things of beauty and integrity, colour and texture, but I saw very few of these.
I have been to every 'Art of the Stitch' and it has gradually become less and less embroidery based. Does that mean that in ten years' time embroidery will have been phased out completely and be only seen in the Members' Exhibitions? Does that make those of us who still sew, second rate members?
Jackie Cardy, by email