Jacqui Parkinson

Textile art is not something I see a lot of, so had to share this.

Jacqui Parkinson, also known as Jacqui Frost, is a textile artist who lives in Devon, England. In 2007 she lost her first husband, Rev. Rob Frost to cancer. In the midst of her isolating grief, she felt the urge to do something both artistically and physically. She took up running and during those long runs had the time to start processing ideas to link her grief experience into art.

She initially used vintage handkerchiefs, stitching words and ideas onto it like a canvas. The colors were mostly blacks, grays, and reds and when finished the handkerchiefs were stretched and then fastened to metal frames and exhibited in Exeter Cathedral in Devon.

The response was so positive, many people identifying with the images and words, that photographs of the textiles were taken and a book entitled "Good Grief?" was published by Threads Publishing. The book includes the photographs of the textiles, but also a textile figure, lino prints and words all working together to communicate the pain of Jacqui's personal journey.

The words that match the textile art are more like poems, for example a detail photograph of a textile piece with a clock bordered by the words 'time does not heal' and in red large print "presentfuture" that is stitched below has an adjacent page with the written words, "Thoughts of ageing alone into the years ahead so strange/ unbelievable /a borderless page with no words/ a stiff canvas with no paint/ a stretch of fabric with no stitch/ so how to begin the years ahead/ alone."

In the past we've mentioned other artists who use a medium reflective of grief itself, like Motoi Yamamoto who uses salt, representing tears of grief and Julie Williams who photographs water, again reflective of tears.  Here is yet another artist, using handkerchiefs which themselves symbolize grief.

To see sample pages of Jacqui's book follow this link.  Photographs of the textiles displayed in the cathedral exhibition can be seen here.