Craft , Chat and Connect this Summer.

A Crafting New Connections Project 2021 – (Neomari Creative Sector Services)

With craft, everything is possible. Emerging from eighteen months of change has brought a new meaning to “Social Anxiety”. People have lost confidence in reintegrating into society, not to talk about the anxiety around safety and wellbeing.

Everybody has in one way or the other, been affected by these feelings during the pandemic and the aim of this project is to combat that by bringing together new people in a fun environment for an afternoon of craft and conversation.  

We are excited to announce a new upcoming project: Crafting New Connections.

This is a community project which will see a series of workshops and events across London and Hertfordshire as well as online where participants will be able to take part in a community breadcraft project as well as making your own symbolic infinity bracelets to take home.

We will run workshops and events for all age groups where the focus will be on conversations around social anxiety, making friends and making an Infinity loop bracelet with beads and other materials.

There will also be an opportunity to take part in the creation of a long bead chain with the aim of collating stories and connecting people around the country.

The Infinity hoop seemed an appropriate symbol to share and as we emerge from the constraints of restrictions, we hope the wearer of the bracelets with realise the infinite power of hope and new friendships.

We have workshops booked over the summer holidays and we look forward to chatting and crafting with families and friends over this period.

To find out and to book for August 2021 at St Albans, Barnet, Woolwich, and other locations, please follow the link.

If you are a community group that would like us to bring a workshop to you, please contact us to discuss.

Each two hour sessions are £5 each with family discounts available. We also have a range of kits and online opportunities available upon request.

Contact us using the form below, Share, Like and Follow us on any of our social media handles, to stay informed.

Tel 07395087673 / 07403381512

Email: admin@neomaricreative.com

https://linktr.ee/Neomaricreative

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Ankara Fabric Jewellery with Mariam O Campbell

14th November 2020: Learn to make beads with African Print fabrics.

Mariam O Campbell is a fashion and accessories designer from Nigeria. She is the proprietor of Handchara Crafts and co founder of PureHoney Kreativiti a creative and training enterprise in the heart of Lagos.

Mariam’s skills include jewellery making and textile craft and her fashion pieces are contemporary influenced by traditional fabrics and materials. Her products are extremely versatile and as a true designer, her items are unique.

” PureHoney is all about creativity, beauty and empowerment. We creatively make beautiful fashion accessories that makes you stand out where ever you are and in what ever you are doing. It is about the whole person, their home, it is about creativity”.

For Mariam, creativity is about listening, observing, loving and bringing to life that which seem like a dream. Creativity is obeying the law to multiply and be fruitful.

Mariam is a trainer / entrepreneur who is passionate about teaching entrepreneurial skills to women and young people.

Ankara is an Africant print fabric which is vibrant in colour and highly versatile in use. It has gained a lot of international accliam now being embraced by the likes of Beyonce and other fashion designers.

Mariam has perfected the craft of jewellery making with Ankara fabric and will be demonstrating her skills on 14th November 2020. You are welcome to join this two hour session where you will learn how to make fabric beads a pair of earrings and a necklace.

If you would like to join in you will need Ankara or any cotton fabric of your choice, A4 size magazine page, tacky glue and jewellery making tools and findings. You are also welcome to just watch.

Register in advance for this event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdeyoqj4iHd03m_iM17yCQT6lL0FMrflq

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Hello, Its Me

Thinking of my creative journey with embroidery.

#ekkyarchibong’

Hi There.
It’s me. Ekky.
My guess is that you are slightly intrigued by the title of this piece and that you will read it to the end.
I have had a few good months to think about the future for me and this has meant looking back at my creative journey and at the threads of experience that have influenced it.
I am a free spirit. I like life and I like people. As a 55-year-old mother of three young adults, I can see how my creativity has influenced their lives through good and bad. From being the mother who tried to do all their art homework, to the one who still encourages them to get creative when times are hard and sad.
My journey with embroidery started from a young age. My mother made clothes, and interiors for people and we had the “boring” job of sewing on the buttons, hemming and hand stitching basic embroidery. I hated it. It was such a chore. Although I later learnt how to sew and make jewellery, I still didn’t go near embroidery as I still found it monotonous. Here I am today, applying for support to learn more. Life eh!
I have lived in Japan, Iran, Poland, Nigeria and here in the UK I work with organisations and run a social enterprise that enables others to find progress through their creative skills.

I love culture, heritage and tradition and this can be seen in my personal work. I am lucky to be able to embrace a mixture of cultures with my African heritage and here are a few examples. I came back to embroidery while trying to find new ways of embellishing my art and craft work. This led me to produce this piece. I have since started reading and talking to different craftworkers and I am intrigued by the range of stitches and meanings behind their work.

Fusion: All of Me in One – HYGGE embroidery by Ekky

HYGGE Embroidery: This piece is called Fusion. I went on a short course to refresh my basic stitches. In this final project, I used traditional stitches from Japan, Poland, and Sweden, to adorn the African woman. Notice how I used the Ankara fabric. I had to learn additional stitches from YouTube.

I feel it is still not finished . Any suggestions?

I have started to research how heritage influences the choice and style of stitching as well as the stories told by embroidery in different course.

My skills include project management and training and I aim to adapt my creative skills into courses that will embrace heritage and history as well as technique. Learning new embroidery skills will help me progress to the next stage in this development.

I also run do expressive art, make accessories and teach young people how to sew. I speak French, Polish and Ibibio and would like to use all these skills in the next phase of my life.

This is me just thinking about me today.

How can you be a part of the next phase of my journey?

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Meet The Designer: Francesca Crentsil

My Culture, My People: African Fashion at Sankofa Royal

Francesca Crentsil is a self taught designer maker from Ghana. As the proprietor of Sankofa Royal, she delights her customers with bespoke clothing, accessories and interiors made from a combination of Afro print, embroidery and other fabrics. She specialises in menswear and has added a range of bags and accessories to her product list.

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As a designer living in Colchester, Francesca talks about how she feels as soon as she enters her studio. It is as if she has entered her own world with no one else in it. “I can create in there for hours”.

When asked what inspires her, Francesca says that music, tranquillity, a peaceful environment and nature as well as colours inspire her creativity as they transport her to a happy place invoking a strong passion to combine and experiment with every material.

One thing you will notice when you get to know Francesca is her own personal style. She is never without some form of headgear. If it is not a classy hat, cap or accessorised Ankara fabric head band, it will most definitely be the turban styled head wrap for which she is known. The head wraps are made from stunning fabrics are carefully sourced to ensure a range to suit people of all backgrounds.

As part of the Black History Month programme, Francesca has agreed to come in an share her passion for design, give us a sneak preview of her latest shirts and accessories and to teach us how to tie the turban style head wrap ourselves.

You will need to bring along two long scarves ( preferably not silky) to try it out yourself. You can of course just watch.

Register in advance for this event: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdeyoqj4iHd03m_iM17yCQT6lL0FMrflq After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  

August Agboola Brown

The Nigerian Jazz Musician who fought in the Warsaw Uprising

I studied for a degree in Lodz, Poland between 1983 and 1990. It was a period where the socialist system was still governed the nation and where as a black student, I was part of a minority in a country where people were still mesmerised by my colour and culture. I could tell you a 100 stories or more about the trials, tribulations, and the joys of my life in Poland but that is not why I am here today.

I’m here because last year, on a business trip to Warsaw, I was hosted by Anna Michalak Pawłowska at Dorozkarnia Dom Kultury in Siekierkowska and during our conversation, she mentioned the fact that a Nigerian jazz musician had joined the resistance and subsequently fought during Warsaw Uprising.

You can imagine that as a Nigerian who had spent almost seven years as a student in Lodz, I was shocked that throughout my stay, I had never heard of this man. I was also surprised that we had a Nigerian embassy, Nigerian Students Association and never was Auguste Agboola Browne’s existence acknowledged in any way.

In a visit to Dr Emmanuel Kalejaiye and his wife Magda, a few days later I mentioned what information to him. This is where he gave me an article produced from his own research and recounting all his efforts to bring August Agboola Browne’s existence to light.

August Agboola Browne was Yoruba man born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1895. He first emigrated to England where he joined a travelling theatre that took him to Poland. he worked in clubs as a jazz musician. He married a Polish lady and had three children. It is said he fought from 1939 to 1949 before working in the Department of Culture and Art; continuing his music career, in Warsaw. In 1958, Browne moved to England where he and his family lived in London until his death in 1976.

I decided to add this event to the programme because of a recent conversation that took place on Facebook. I now realised that I am not the only person who was not aware of this part of Polish history. The comments that have ensued since then, have show that many of us who still live or have already left Poland are interested to find out more, and listen to Dr Emmanuel as he shares his views and the progress that has since been made to put Auguste Agboola Browne on the map and to acknowledge his sacrifice including a recent memorial erected in Warsaw Central and a visit by the Nigerian Embassy. Dr Emmanuel is a Nigerian, medical practitioner with a strong interest in heritage and culture. When he is not treating and advising patients, he actively pursues the implementation of policies and actions that will support his community home and abroad. Dr Emmanuel has been at the forefront of the fight for recognition and acknowledgement of the Nigerian soldier, August Ayoola Brown and has written articles and featured in several Polish newsrooms for this purpose.

Join us on Sunday 25th October , 7pm (GMT), to hear, engage, and discuss.

This is the link for this and all our other events this month.

Register in advance for this event: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdeyoqj4iHd03m_iM17yCQT6lL0FMrflq

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  

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Meet The Artist: Aniefon Ben Edet

My Culture, My People – Resilience : Black History Month Event

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  @aniefonbenedet: https://aniefonbenedet.com/

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Aniefon Ben Edet, is a Painter/Up-cycler and Photographer. He uses mixed media art forms to produce his pieces. As an avid Upcycler, Aniefon specialises in the use of waste pipes which he paints and upcycles into interior decoration or functional craft items. His research into up-cycling, and turning waste into art, has influenced his work and he aims to use his art to spread the word about saving our eco system and protecting our environment.
His photography explores the themes about the daily lives and struggles of the average Nigerian. His art speaks about societal values and the rich Nigerian culture, and the resilience required as an artist in this culture.

Aniefon aims to share this message and showcase his artwork while co facilitating an art workshop at an online family event. We will watch him create one of his pieces and will have the opportunity make our own.

You will need to bring some paint, news paper, glue and a container ( Pringles container is perfect) if you want to take part in the activity. You are welcome to just watch.

Join us for this creative session on Saturday 31st October, 2020, from 11.00am to 12.30pm. See below for registration details.

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Register in advance for this event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdeyoqj4iHd03m_iM17yCQT6lL0FMrflq

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Meet The Artist: Usukuma Essien

My Culture, My People : Black History Month Event at ASCEND Charity UK

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Suksi

Usukuma Essien, known on the art scene as Suksi, is a Nigerian artist with a flair for bold, abstract colour that is translated into urban as well as traditional art. Suksi is a self taught artist who expresses his passion onto canvas, murals , clothing and accessories. He also has an interest in upcycling and is currently working on turning a dismantled bicycle into a wall hanging. I can’t wait to see the result.

Suksi will share his journey into modern art and showcase his artwork while co facilitating an art workshop at an event organised by #ascendcharityuk

He will be using one of his pieces as a theme for the creative session on 28th October, 2020, from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

ZOOM DETAILS – Registration required below.
Zoom ID 82106113431
PASSCODE 919138

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https://www.facebook.com/usukuma.essien

When asked about his influences, Suksi says ” “My art is defined mostly by colours which I generously use to recreate my thoughts on any medium for the world to see”.

For this event and to register for all the other events in the programme please FOLLOW the link. https://issuu.com/neomari/docs/my_culture_my_people_workshop_list_2020.docx

Register here for free ZOOM access code

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Needles, Beads, Found Objects and Paint

An Isolation Blanket Project

 

You may be wondering how the items in the title have played a part in a community’s bid to stay well during the COVID19 pandemic.

From March, as the events unfolded I personally found myself looking more inward, trying to embrace self isolation the best way I can. I was relatively content with the fact that I had my family , work and craft material around me all through. I thought of how others who were not in my position, would be feeling and I made the common mistakes of being fixated on the news and listening to the sad, depressing stories;  unfortunate situations this pandemic has caused. I couldn’t get away from all the new online opportunities there were for new skills, entertainment and wellbeing. As an organisation we set out to run our course and networking events online too.

It was during this time that the opportunity to co-facilitate an Isolation Blanket Project came to pass. This project saw 42 participants collaborating to create a hanging blanket from their own homes, during lock down.

The project was the brain child of Sian Fenwick, a Hertfordshire based mixed media textile artist, who presented the idea to ASCEND Charity (based in South Oxhey). Christine Wyard, Director at ASCEND was keen on the idea of supporting her community of learners and was able to source the funding required to make it happen. 

Sian saw the qualities of a blanket as the perfect bed to lay or hold the various feelings we were all enduring because of the pandemic. I could see how this project would help people to express themselves through creativity especially when Sian described her vision and the calming, warming and comforting properties of a blanket and I immediately realised the impact and effectiveness of this project.

We invited people to join the project which also had a Facebook / Whats App networking group where participants could showcase their progress, chat and make new friends. We led three groups of stitchers, beaders and artisits and from April 2020 to July, the project began. We created kits and ran online workshops giving the participants the opportunity to learn a few techniques and share ideas. With needles, beads, found objects and paint, new memories were made.

The Stitchers used their needles and the Expressive Artists used their paint and found objects to design and embellish the fabric squares each participant had been given. The Beaders strung their beads to create links that would be placed between the squares to show how even though we were all in our various homes, we were linked in this pandemic. We even created fabric and beaded corona viruses to add to the blanket. These were then hand stitched to the blanket by Sian and the blanket can be seen hanging gracefully at Step Up, an ASCEND project in South Oxhey. We hope that opportunities will come for it to be exhibited in other places.

My piece represented the state of affairs in my mind. With all that was going on, I found myself eating a lot and craving food and snacks all the time. I wondered if my eating habits had changed because I was no longer out and about and all over the place with little time to focus on the belly. The laces around the mouth are my attempt to stop anything else going in. As the aim was to use things we could find from home, I just kept and used the wrappings from what I was eating. Some say it is quite a healthy list.

To crown the project, Margaret Archibong, a recent University of Kent graduate, took on the task of documenting all the embellished fabric square pieces from the participants in a mini video. This video contains images of the individual squares and audio reflections of the different feelings and thoughts about self isolation during lock down, as expressed in their art work. You can watch the video and see each square in detail on ASCEND’s YouTube channel. It is worth watching this video to hear the varied personal reflections voiced by our participants. https://youtu.be/95xvfw94ASc

Co-facilitating this project has confirmed my thoughts on creativity as a catalyst for self support and wellbeing. I also see it as a possible way to build bridges between communities and is something I intend to research for use other projects.

For more information about this project visit the link below. You won’t regret it.

http://www.ascend.org.uk/isolation-blanket/?fbclid=IwAR1eKxg_m3EcJWk2kVAdOxqeXFNWnmKfHhl37v1c9FAMvksfwyQ1ClyYxKM

Sian Fenwick http://www.sianfenwick.co.uk/redesign/

Margaret Archibong – https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-archibong-121573153/

Neomari Creative Sector Services  https://linktr.ee/Neomaricreative