ABScraft

For Global Recycling day, seems apt to look back to last week I gave eight workshops in creative reuse of textiles. Starting initially with drop in sessions to create a communal rag rug in Port Sunlight with the launch of a new space in the historic village.

Followed by seven sessions from Tuesday to Friday, where the public (individuals and groups of students) with my guidance experimented, played, repaired, and upcycled countless fabrics and clothes—some completely transformed and saved from being discarded. Many textiles had been hoarded by my family for years.

New space, Make Hamilton’s conference room was used to create an inspiring welcoming space, filled with sustainably sourced and repurposed materials. The sessions were funded by the Heritage Fund to highlight the costume creations of Ron Gittins of Saving Ron’s place – a project I have supported since 2020.

Ron’s mini exhibition corner helped spark the interest of those who hadn’t yet heard of Ron’s Place. We also used the double large screens to great effect showing images from film maker, Martin Lawrence.

To accommodate activities, I set up separate stations where participants could experiment with stencils, paints, embellishments using Bondaweb and an iron, or even try rag rugging—an accessible activity where we created rag boas.

“The feedback we received for this workshop series has been absolutely brilliant. Many participants shared how valuable it was to spend their morning or afternoon engaging in a creative activity just for themselves—without pressure or expectations, simply allowing their imagination to flow.

While we are amazed by the physical outcomes of the workshops, we are equally grateful for the sense of community, the welcoming atmosphere, and the laughter and conversations shared throughout the sessions.” (Ola Lee)

If you’re looking for more opportunities to explore the world of Ron and otheroutsider artists, the team invite you to join us for our upcoming talk series, Beyond the Mainstream:

• Bringing the Outside In with Angela Samata
  Saturday, 22nd March 2025, 2-4 PM at The Williamson Art Gallery
  Eventbrite link
• Ron’s Place and Other Visionary Environments with Martin Wallace
  Saturday, 29th March 2025, 2-4 PM at Make Hamilton
  Eventbrite link
• Breaking Boundaries: The Voices of Outsider Artists – Discussion Panel with Angela Samata and Guests
  Saturday, 5th April 2025, 2-4 PM at Make Hamilton
  Eventbrite link