Friday 15 February 2013

The Museum Of Farnham


QuayCrafts Meet William Cobbett

March-December 2013

I am a member of a professional craft group based on the Isle Of Wight QuayCrafts. The group has been running for 27 years now, and this year we are exhibiting at The Museum Of Farnham.
This year is the 250th anniversary of the politician, author and farmer William Cobbett. He helped to end poverty for the humble farm labourer and believed in reforming parliament. W.C. wrote many books throughout his life time and “Rural Rides” published for the first time in 1830 is still in publication today.

The QuayCraft members all bought a copy as a base for inspiration. W.C. was a strong believer in protecting the countryside for future generations; he would be concerned with the state of our countryside, the threats to our wildlife and the plight of our Honeybee. At a time when Honeybee populations are dwindling, and bees continue to abandon hives, the link to agricultural pesticides is stronger than ever. With over 70% of the world’s food pollinated by the bees, something needs to be done.

Road verges are life giving arteries of the countryside, linking habitats and acting as vital corridors for wildlife to thrive on. They also represent a ruminant of our native grassland which has suffered catastrophic losses over the last century. So many of Britain’s roadside verges have been reduced to a plain strip of grass with barely a dandelion, as a result from poorly timed and repeat cutting.

Using  “Rural Rides” as a base for my embroideries. I hope my work highlights the struggle of our wildlife.

                                                                     Roadside Verge


 
 
 
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