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Journeys East has been a really a exhibition project to work on.
We have groups from Peckham, groups from Newham, groups from West Hampstead and groups from Ealing
so we really have managed to cater for every corner of London.
Today we had ladies from West Hampstead Women's Centre
and Aaina Women's Group coming to the Wallace Collection to look at all of the artwork
they have created so far in the project and to think about how to display their artwork
in the final exhibition.
The ladies hadn't actually seen the exhibition space
where their work would be before, so today was really exciting for them as they
got to see the three temporary galleries their vases, silks and towels will be displayed in.
I'm over the moon, I can't believe that our work will be in the famous Wallace Collection.
We wanted the project participants to decide how their vases will be displayed
So one of the experiments we did was to make tissue paper flowers
out of different coloured tissue paper and put them in the vases and to actually
see what they look like in the vases.
I remember when I first met them they were very shy
about sharing their ideas and their creativity and even drawing. Whereas now they
have the confidence to just pick up some paints, pick up some silk, pick up some gooter
and create some wonderful artwork.
We've done a lot of vases, painting on the tiles, on the silk
it was quite a big piece, about 6 metres, and we were so frightened before.
Because I had never done painting before but it's come out nice.
Today, the Aaina Women's Group concentrated on the silk scrolls that project participants
had made for the Journeys East exhibition.
They've looked at all of the scarfs that have been made
importantly they've decided the order that the silks will be displayed in.
I feel very proud that all our artwork will
be shown in this art gallery and that a lot of people will come and see it, and see the
variety of the work like the different languages, different styles and different ideas
it will be fantastic.
We were making labels to go with our artwork today
and asking questions like what are you most proud about in your artwork?
Why have you painted what you have on your vase?
Why have you included pictures in your collage?
So when visitors come to the exhibition they really get a good sense of who has made this
artwork and the stories behind the people who created it.
I did four silks, and on those silks I did circular motions and the whole thing was about creativity
how people create and I tried to represent the different types of creation there are.
For me it's been an absolutely amazing privilege to really get to know a wonderful group of women
with such different stories and different backgrounds, and for them to share them
with me, with the museum and to visitors to the exhibition as well.
This project has unleashed my creativity
I'm going to take away the knowledge I have learnt, and the skills I have learnt.
What I learnt especially is not be frightened of anything and even if it's the first time, to have a go.
When the Treasures of the East is over I will feel like something is missing.
We feel good, like we have done something that people can see, I liked it.