Goodbye to A Woman's Work

Last week someone had a significant birthday and her greatest wish was one of my quilts. What an honour! As a result I've said goodbye to A Woman's Work, but she has gone to a very good home. The quilt hung in my colour-quilts-collage exhibition in Peebles last year and caused quite a bit of comment and even controversy at times. It's my very tongue in cheek rendition of all the tasks women were (and sadly sometimes still are) expected to do. I need hardly add to those who know me that I said goodbye to woman's work many, many years ago! Several male visitors to the exhibition didn't seem to "get" it although of course all women did. One even thought this was a serious reflection of what women do on a daily basis. Hello!!

The whole piece is full of jokey reverences to the many roles we as women played (and still sometimes play alas). Think about Jerry Hall, who referred to us being cooks in the kitchen, maids in the living room, and, oh well you can imagine the word, but I'll be polite (for Blogger's sake! I don't want to become an 18+ blog) fancy women in the bedroom.. If you're interested click here for her actual quote.  Not to mention mothers, goddesses, brides, saints,  virgins, ladies who lunch, do the ironing, make ourselves look pretty, and. that most awful thing, hunt for husbands as if that is the be all and end all of our ambitions.  

I've also introduced many jokes that are private to me and even had the gall to put myself into this piece in the form of Frida Kahlo seeing as our first names are the same. She started to spell hers differently as a result of the First World War but before that she too was a Frieda!

Does anyone still use the term Old Maid?! Would they dare! And what about all those women in the past who went to their graves and beyond labelled by such a derogatory expression! My heart bleeds for them Are we not all individuals in our own right?

I'm not going to explain this piece in all its details. That's up to each individual that views it. There is a lot to discover and while making this piece I did have many little chuckles to myself. The in jokes were stitched in fabric and beads and the piece sparkles. I'm so over the moon that it was bought by someone who I know for sure, will appreciate the hidden messages as much as I enjoyed putting them in.