Tamsin
Prompted by our proximity to Christmas, I decided to create cards taking scenes from the nativity. I used the cut-out format, which challenged me to produce images that were readable in silhouette form and could be held up within the frame of the card – holey, as well as holy!
Tony
Using our theme Holy as a starting point I continued working on my reliquary project and decided to celebrate St Sebastian.
I enjoyed choosing the body builder image for this work, his impassive, distant gaze echos the demeanour of Sebastian seen in Renaissance works. Rather than depict the actual arrows I used several quotes to reference his martyrdom, including Basciami mill volte, by Luca Marensio ‘Et e men disarmato all’hor che e nudo’… ‘And is best armed when he is nude’, which I heard performed by Musica Antica last month.
It seemed fitting to me.
Alison
For the theme Holy Holy I have created an architecturally inspired ‘book’ covered on the outside with symbols and the Arabic, Hebrew and English words for Peace. The interior is covered with excerpts from prayers from Christian, Judaic and Islamic texts. Folded up the piece can illuminated from within with a candle. The hand-cut ‘windows’ are holy and the message is both holy and hopefully hopeful.
Gill
I decided to make a ‘Holy Book’, not a religious book but one I made from holes of all different shapes and sizes.
Isi
For the theme “holly, holey, holy, au lait” I chose to print autumn leaves on to small sheets of paper using a drawing putty square, and played around with notions and representations of holiness/holly, nature and space.
I also used the putty to make prints with an urchin shell.
The idea was to have two forms of prints bringing together earthy and aquatic items, my way of illustrating a holy combination of earth and water. With the urchin prints I also add a metal fish as the symbol of the Christian identity, iktus/Ichthys.
Joan
Here’s a cheeky little piece I made for our monthly meeting. It is called Au Lait and, hopefully, speaks for itself.
It is a not very well made box and was just meant to be a fun response to the month’s theme.
Patti
Since my daughter contracted meningitis on Mother’s Day 2024, a dear friend has lit a candle for her at Saturday Mass. If he has his phone with him he sends me a photo. I gain comfort from the strength of his faith and in his kindness. (After my recent very painful knee surgery he has lit a candle for me too.)
I have made a “Holy” “holey” book using some of the candle photographs on the front concertina. A cutout in the shape of a candle allows a view of the rear concertina which has photographs of votive stands in various churches he has visited.
Tamar
On silken wings the moths are never sated.
With clothes moths as my creative collaborators (try not to cry), this work documents every moth hole in one of my jumpers.
Each double page spread has a photo of the hole and then a close up.
I textured the foreedge using pinking shears to make them look nibbled.
Muslin, book cloth, cartridge paper, layout paper, waxed lined thread
