Artist Statement:

My work strives to convey ideas and questions about our expectations regarding gender roles, work, culture and other aspects of our social and personal lives.

Using machine embroidery and reverse appliqué techniques, I seek to juxtapose pattern with theme in an incongruous and sometimes ironic manner to highlight how our expectations of life have adapted in a changing world.

My personal background and experience pervades the work; my training in the contrasting fields of engineering, time spent in a variety of work, periods of art practice and in the role of primary carer for my own children and a curiosity in observing the political and economic shifts over the past thirty years from Thatcher to the current credit crunch.

My work sets out to present the adaptation we have had to perfect in order to take our place in the 21st century, men being more active in parenting, juggling the work/ life balance, the pressure of a consumerist, aspirational culture, the necessity of changing our expectations of working life and the increasing presence of crime in the media and entertainment.

The choice of fabric and colour will be governed by a desire to provide contrasts between what we anticipate and the reality in which we find ourselves. Using materials found and given will enhance the sense of having to continually alter and adapt these expectations.

In conclusion, my work will use textiles and fabric techniques to illustrate the contrasts and adaptations of our ever changing society and to provide visual stimulus for discussion of the need to change and develop our expectations.

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TALKING CITY is Anna Francis’ Longhouse Guest Editor project, for March 2010.

Click here to go to the project page.