March 2014 – One Stitch at Time

What keeps us going

March 5, 2014 Christiane Berghoff

I found this on Facebook and I love synchronicity when it happens, also uuI discovered in the March/April 2014 Issue of Resurgence & Ecologist the following article:
The Dalai Lama – Hopes comes from the Heart
Hylton Murray-Philipson wonders what keeps the Dalai Lama going

It was said in the article the answer lies in the Faith of the Dalai Lama, not only in his religious faith as a Buddhist, but also his faith in young People.
One of his most fundamental beliefs is in non-violence, his long life experience has proved his believe, he has seen the Berlin Wall coming down, the end of Apartheid in South Africa and the British Empire coming to an end through Gandhi’s campaign of civil disobedience.
Countering a feeling of hopelessness he said: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito!”
The Dalai Lama emphasis on our common humanity, beyond race, religion, profession or status.
Furthermore he emphasis and is passionate about the need to act – TODAY. He say: there are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow.”
In my mind every act, no matter how small towards a sustainable and respectful world to live, counts.
Every step we take, every decision we make and talk about is a step into the right direction.

The Joy of Stitch

Beyond the Toolkit 1

March 4, 2014 Christiane Berghoff

It was a inspiring event and I feel very privileged to have been giving the the opportunity to show and share my work during this symposium.

Co-Creating CARE

Beyond the Toolkit was an Arts & Humanities-funded symposium organised by Falmouth University in collaboration with Arts for Health, Cornwall. The event was held in Falmouth University’s Academy for Innovation & Research (AIR) building at the Penryn Campus, Cornwall on the 19th and 20th February, 2014. Here is the introduction to the symposium:

Creative expression can make a powerful contribution to wellbeing and the healing process, and its benefits are recognised as social inclusion, economic growth and health promotion. Attempts to define the success of the mechanisms through which these might occur, however, tend to rely on straightforward models of impact assessment. This has resulted in a standardised ‘toolkit’ approach that may be replicated across differing contexts, art forms and audiences, but which neglects the material and experiential qualities of creative practice.

Beyond the Toolkit explores these benefits with an emphasis on the particularities of crafts practice. It focuses on…

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My Practise

March 4, 2014 Christiane Berghoff

“In the old days, the old fellows were sitting around, all the women were laughing , joking – so all that conversation has gone into the basket.”

Verna Nichols , Tasmania

This quote gathered to much up, how I feel about my practise.
When I look again at the cloth were people have embroidered on on now 4 occasions, it seems as if I can still her the voices, the stories and the laughter. And I see as well those, how were quietly stitching, not saying much, but listing and still part, adding their stitches.
My practise has these two aspects
– creating spaces where people can experience again a communal situation, of working with their hands creatively and being with people
– working on my own with very slow technique using Embroidery, Knitting, Crochet and very recently hand spinning as a meditative activity
– Working with my “traveling” projects where ever I am, on the train, in Cafés, with friends talking at the Folk evenings in my home town

Sometimes when I pick up a embroidered cloth, or a hat, knitted from my own pattern and from well chosen wool, I smile as the memories flood back.
The more I think about it, the more I realise that the underlying intend for my activities, shared and alone is Wellbeing.