CuratorSpace Artist Bursary #10: Kate Elisabeth Rolison

Kate Elisabeth Rolison is a hand embroidery artist and writer, who stitches words on books, clothes, and antique textiles. Some of the topics she explores include women's history, romance, mental health, nature, the history of embroidery, autobiography and memoir, fairytale, language, and fashion. She is currently working on a stitched graphic novel.

"I am currently creating the prologue of my work-in-progress project, 'Abnormal Feeling of Wellbeing', a hand embroidered graphic memoir/novella on madness and recovery and the therapeutic power of stitch. A fifteen page excerpt of 'Abnormal Feeling of Wellbeing' was longlisted for the 2020 Laydeez Do Comics Award.

The novella is an embroidered tale of how my mind shattered and was stitched back together with needle and thread. A social history of others who found salvation and solace in stitch. Embroidered into the narrative are myths and folklore of needlecraft and those in adversity finding their way. I plan to either publish with a comics organisation or self-publish via crowdfunding.

The prologue will be a visually, lyrically arresting way of opening the narrative. Alongside my own experiences the content of my memoir has been informed by my work with Daily Life Ltd, an arts and mental health charity led by Bobby Baker, and by the mad activism movement. The project appeared in a short film for Tate, accompanied by a talk at Tate Britain on art, embroidery, and mental health, in conversation with fellow embroidery artist Hannah Hill."

You can see more of Kate's work here or follow her on Instagram.

More news

Not another listings site

CuratorSpace isn't another listings website; it's a place where curators and organisers can use custom online forms to allow artists to apply to their opportunity. It also allows you to see and manage all submissions made to your opportunity on the website, and to contact contributors directly.