Textile artist and clarity coach, Amanda Cook, is holding an exhibition at The Mount House, Marlborough throughout September. The exhibition, explores the question ‘Who am I?’ with a series of skirts and circles using labels and connections.
Amanda told Marlborough.news, “I’ve made a series of skirts, pictures and a huge mobile all exploring how life really works. The ‘Don’t label me skirt’ is covered in labels and the exhibition moves through our hidden potential to explore what’s possible – freedom, peace love, joy. Some of the exhibition was made during Covid and emphasises community and connection and everything I see as important.”
At the centre of the exhibition is the ‘I am, she is’ skirt which is stitched together. The ‘I am’ part is stitched with words explaining how Amanda sees herself while the ‘You are’ part uses words from an anonymous survey Amanda asked people who know her to fill in.
“The only way you can wear the skirt is by turning one inside the other,” explained Amanda. “So it looks like you’re wearing the story of you. But the only true bit is the space of nothing when the skirt is inside out, the part that the labels pass through.”
Amanda has always been passionate about working with textiles and recognises the “meditative, cathartic process of being totally absorbed. When you’re being creative you’re totally focused. I have always made things and there’s always a story and always humour.”
In her other job as Dame and Resident House Tutor at Marlborough College she decided to show the boys in her charge that there’s a value in everything and made a skirt out of heavily laundered and unclaimed boys’ underpants!
Circles dominate the exhibition. “We’re all circles. We’re all exactly the same but totally different,” explained Amanda.
If you would like to know more about the thinking and ideas behind the exhibition Amanda is holding an ‘Ask the Artist’ evening on Monday 13th at 7pm.There are limited spaces so if you would like to come along to this, please phone Amanda on 07880810631.
The exhibition is free and no part of it is for sale. It will be open on the following dates, however, viewings can be arranged for alternative dates with Amanda.
Every weekday 4:30 – 6:30
Saturday 11th 10:00 – 4:00
Sunday 12th 10:00 – 4:00
Saturday 18th 10:00 – 4:00
Saturday 25th 10:00 – 4:00
Sunday 26th 10:00 – 4:00
Candle Making at The Hub
